The FIFA World Cup Golden Glove is the tournament’s premier individual award for goalkeepers. When first conferred in 1994, it went by the name ‘Lev Yashin’ award, in honor of the legendary Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin.
This article covers each winning goalkeeper from 1994 onwards and highlights their achievements through key tournament statistics.
All FIFA World Cup Golden Glove winners since 1994
List of all FIFA World Cup Golden Glove Winners (1994 - 2026):
| Championship Year | Golden Glove Winner | Clean Sheets |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 |  Michel Preud'homme | 2 |
| 1998 |  Fabien Barthez | 5 |
| 2002 |  Oliver Kahn | 5 |
| 2006 |  Gigi Buffon | 5 |
| 2010 |  Iker Casillas | 5 |
| 2014 | Manuel Neuer | 4 |
| 2018 | Thibaut Courtois | 3 |
| 2022 |  Emiliano Martínez | 3 |
| 2026 | Unai Simón | 7 |
1994: Michel Preud'homme
The inaugural ‘Lev Yashin’ award, which was later renamed the FIFA World Cup Adidas Golden Glove in 2010, was won by the phenomenal Belgian goalkeeper Michel Georges Jean Ghislain Preud'homme. The 1994 World Cup held in the US was his second World Cup championship, and over 360 minutes of play, he recorded two clean sheets, conceded one goal per game, and faced no penalties. His goalkeeping helped Belgium immensely to reach the last 16.
- Total matches played: 4
- Goals conceded breakdown: 4 (1 scored by Saudi Arabia; 3 scored by Germany)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 2 (against Morocco and the Netherlands)
1998: Fabien Barthez
The winner of the 1998 FIFA World Cup Golden Glove was French goalkeeper Fabien Alain Barthez. In his debut World Cup championship on home soil, he played 684 minutes in total, during which he recorded five clean sheets. He conceded only 0.29 goals per game. Of the six penalties he faced, he saved one, and the opponent missed one, helping France win its first World Cup title.
- Total matches played: 7
- Goals conceded breakdown: 2 (1 scored by Croatia; 1 in-game penalty by Denmark)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 5 (against South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Paraguay, Italy, and Brazil)
2002: Oliver Kahn
The 2002 Golden Glove winner was Germany’s goalkeeper and captain Oliver Rolf Kahn. Over his 630 minutes on the field, he recorded five clean sheets and conceded only 0.43 goals per game. Kahn didn’t face any penalties. He is also the only goalkeeper to have won the Golden Ball for helping Germany finish second in the World Cup.
- Total matches played: 7
- Goals conceded breakdown: 3 (1 scored by Republic of Ireland; 2 scored by Brazil)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 5 (against Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, Paraguay, United States, and South Korea)
2006: Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi “Gigi” Buffon was participating in the FIFA World Cup for the third time. He made it worth it by collecting five clean sheets over 690 minutes of play in the 2006 tournament. He conceded a mere 0.29 goals per game. In total, he faced five penalties, none of which he saved, except for one the striker missed. But his skillful goalkeeping aided Italy’s fourth World Cup victory and made him the 2006 Golden Glove winner.
- Total matches played: 7
- Goals conceded breakdown: 2 (1 scored by United States; 1 scored by France)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 5 (against Ghana, Czech Republic, Australia, Ukraine, and Germany)
2010: Iker Casillas
The Yashin award, now relabeled as 'the adidas Golden Glove’ during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, was presented to Iker Casillas Fernández. This was his third time representing Spain as a goalkeeper in the World Cup. Iker played a total of 660 minutes, in which he achieved five clean sheets and conceded 0.29 goals per game. He encountered one penalty in the tournament and saved it effectively. As a captain, he contributed significantly to Spain's claim of its first World Cup title.
- Total matches played: 7
- Goals conceded breakdown: 2 (1 scored by Switzerland; 1 scored by Chile)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 5 (against Honduras, Portugal, Paraguay, Germany, and the Netherlands)
2014: Manuel Neuer
German goalkeeper Manuel Peter Neuer won the Golden Glove award at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Neuer returned to the championship for a second appearance, playing 690 minutes in total. He secured four clean sheets and conceded 0.57 goals per game. He did not have to defend any penalties and backed Germany to win the championship for the fourth time.
- Total matches played: 7
- Goals conceded breakdown: 4 (2 scored by Ghana; 1 scored by Algeria; 1 scored by Brazil)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 4 (against Portugal, United States, France, and Argentina)
2018: Thibaut Courtois
Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Nicolas Marc Courtois participated in his second World Cup, held in Russia in 2018. He won the Golden Glove award by amassing three clean sheets and conceding 0.86 goals per game in the 630 minutes he spent on the field. He wasn’t tested from the penalty spot; that helped Belgium win the semi-finals for once.
- Total matches played: 7
- Goals conceded breakdown: 6 (2 scored by Tunisia; 2 scored by Japan; 1 scored by Brazil; 1 scored by France)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 3 (against Panama; 2 matches against England)
2022: Emiliano Martínez
Argentine goalkeeper Damián Emiliano Martínez Romero won the Golden Glove at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In his debut performance, he played 690 minutes across all tournament matches. He registered three clean sheets and conceded 1.14 goals per game. Martinez faced 11 penalties, saved three, and the opponent missed scoring one.
- Total matches played: 7
- Goals conceded breakdown: 8 (1 scored by Australia; 2 scored by Saudi Arabia; 2 scored by the Netherlands; 3 scored by France)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 3 (against Poland, Mexico, and Croatia)
2026: Unai Simón
Unai Simón Mendibil, the goalkeeper of Spain, is the winner of the Golden Glove award at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This marked Simón’s second appearance at the World Cup. The Spanish goalkeeper played 750 minutes in the tournament, during which he kept a record-breaking seven clean sheets and conceded only 0.13 goals per game. He wasn’t called upon for any penalties, and with those stats, he eased Spain’s journey into winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy.
- Total matches played: 8
- Goals conceded breakdown: 1 (scored by Belgium)
- Clean sheets breakdown: 7 (against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Austria, Portugal, France, and Argentina)
