Nagelsmann’s egg dance around the nomination of Manuel Neuer alone has proven it: The goalkeeper question will also be a decisive one at the 2026 World Cup. Which goalkeeper will play his way to the fore? And who will be mainly busy fishing the balls out of the net?
Regardless of one’s own performances, the performance of one’s own team also plays a central role. What is the point of showing one save after the next if the preliminary round is eliminated at the end? As the best goalkeeper of the 2026 World Cup, you don’t get into the draw.
And so the gaze automatically goes to Argentina, Spain, France and Brazil. Because only those who stand between the posts of a potential World Cup favourite have a realistic chance of being able to put on the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper of the tournament at the end.
Who will be the best World Cup goalkeeper 2026: The contenders for the Golden Glove
What is interesting about the 2026 World Cup is undoubtedly that there is no clear favourite for the Golden Glove. With Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez, Spain’s Unai Simon, Brazil’s Alisson Becker and France’s Mike Maignan, Bet-at-Home Bookmaker sees four goalkeepers almost on an equal footing.
Of the four mentioned, only Emiliano Martinez has won the coveted trophy so far (2022) and goes into the record tournament as the reigning world champion with the best chances.
However, if Argentina stumbles in the preliminary round, the tide could quickly turn in favor of one of its rivals.
Martinez, the bookmaker’s favorite
Emiliano Martinez is also the top favourite for the Golden Glove for me. The experienced Argentine was one of the guarantors that the South Americans were able to secure the title in 2022.
Martinez’s form at the club also speaks in his favour. With Aston Villa, he was able to secure fourth place in the Premier League (and thus a CL place), but as the winner of the Europa League, the ticket to the Champions League was bought on the European path. So he will continue to perform at the highest level in the coming season.
Of course, the statistics from Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers are also striking. In 18 games, the defending champions have conceded just ten goals. The compact playing style of the Argentines also plays into Martinez’s hands.
The fact remains: If Argentina builds on the performances of the title year 2022 at the 2026 World Cup, there should be no way around Emiliano Martinez as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
Will Unai Simon get the “Golden Glove”?
Meanwhile, Unai Simon wants to establish himself as the first spoilsport. Most experts have the Spaniard on their radar immediately behind Martinez. Why? Quite simply: The Iberians are also among the absolute top favorites to participate in the final.
First of all, the fact that the Golden Glove likes to change hands speaks in Simon’s favour. Never before has a goalkeeper been able to defend the title, which is purely statistically pushing Simon forward.
In addition, the performances shown in the course of the World Cup qualifiers speak for him. In six group games, the Spaniards had to concede just two goals and in the end became sovereign group winners.
Only the fact that Simon has really not had a fabulous season with Athletic Bilbao (12th place in La Liga) could be interpreted negatively. If he convinces in the goal of the Spaniards, however, this quickly fades into the background.
Best World Cup 2026 goalkeeper: Will it be Alisson Becker?
The third favourite for the Golden Glove at the 2026 World Cup is Alisson Becker. The Brazilian has won the internal duel with Ederson and will go to the finals as No. 1.
Whether Becker will be able to work his way up the goalkeeper ranking in the end depends not least on the condition of the Brazilian team. After all, the five-time world champion did not cover himself with glory in the World Championship qualifiers and only finished fifth in the standings.
Of the top 6 nations, Brazil also had the worst defence (17 goals conceded in 18 games) and is only one of the extended circle of title favourites at the 2026 World Cup.
Accordingly, I am extremely skeptical about Alisson Becker’s chances of winning the Golden Glove at the finals. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brazil were one of the big disappointments of the tournament.
The outsider from France: Mike Maignan
Mike Maignan comes to the 2026 World Cup with a real mortgage. After all, the Frenchman recently squandered Champions League participation with AC Milan on the last Serie A matchday.
Although Maignan was one of the best goalkeepers in Milan (35 goals conceded in 38 games), he is still not one of the closest favourites for me to win the Golden Glove at the 2026 World Cup.
Up to this point, the 30-year-old simply lacks the aura that once characterized Fabien Barthez, for example. That’s why I don’t see Maignan at the very highest world level in the run-up to the finals.
Ultimately, one could also say that Maignan is currently benefiting from the strength of the French national team without helping to take Les Bleus to the next level. So I’m committed: A lot has to come together for the Golden Glove 2026 to go to Mike Maignan.
Best goalkeeper of the World Cup – the previous winners:
- • 2022: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)
- • 2018: Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
- • 2014: Manuel Neuer (Germany)
- • 2010: Iker Casillas (Spain)
- • 2006: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
- • 2002: Oliver Kahn (Germany)
- • 1998: Fabien Barthez (France)
- • 1994: Michel Preudhomme (Belgium)
History of the Best World Cup Goalkeeper and the Golden Glove
I have already said it: The Golden Glove is a challenge cup. Since the official introduction in 1994, no goalkeeper has been able to defend his title. For this reason alone, the renewed award would be of historic significance for Emiliano Martinez.
Of course, the accumulation of world champions among the title holders is also striking. The best goalkeeper of the tournament also won the world championship title a total of five times. A prominent exception was, for example, Oliver Kahn at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
At that time, the “titan” carried the DFB eleven on his shoulders to the final, but made a momentous (as well as legendary) blunder there, which ultimately helped Brazil win the title.
One should also keep in mind that since 1994 only once has the Golden Glove not gone to Europe. So the first award for Emiliano Martinez was already historic.
