Belgium and Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois will travel to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup striving to become the first goalkeeper to retain the Golden Glove award he won in 2018.
Courtois helped the Red Devils make it to the semi-finals as Russia hosted the 21st edition of the Fifa tournament. The 30-year-old played a key role in his side’s bid to achieve global glory and captained his nation in one tie, before losing to the eventual champions France.
Fifa have recognised the best-performing shot-stopper at the past seven World Cups, with the Golden Glove first awarded in 1994. It was initially named after the iconic Soviet goalie Lev Yashin, considered one of the best of all time for his bravery and athleticism in the net.
Fifa changed the name of the award for the best goalkeeper at a World Cup to the Golden Glove for the 2010 edition in South Africa. It recognises the shot-stopper who made a high contribution to his country’s results, and does not stop them also winning the Golden Ball.
The Fifa Technical Study Group vote on the winner of the Golden Glove, while a tie breaker sees the goalkeeper who progressed furthest win. Saves made and the minutes played can also serve as tiebreakers, should the top-performing shot-stoppers remain on an even par.
No goalkeeper has yet managed to retain the Golden Glove at successive World Cups, and no shot-stopper has yet won the award in multiple editions. Instead, seven different stars from five different nations have won the seven goalkeeper gongs that Fifa have given out.
Courtois’ individual success in 2018 saw Fifa recognise a second Belgian goalkeeper as the best shot-stopper at a World Cup. It was also a Red Devils star who won the first variation of the title in 1994. So with that in mind, who are the seven Golden Glove award winners?
Michel Preud’homme became first World Cup Golden Glove award winner in 1994
Michel Preud’homme became the first goalkeeper that Fifa recognised for their efforts at a World Cup in 1994. The Belgian earned the then-named Lev Yashin Award, even though his nation only made it as far as the last 16 in the United States before losing 3-2 to Germany.
The 58-cap ‘keeper played every minute of his second World Cup after playing at the 1990 edition in Italy. He also kept clean sheets against Morocco and the Netherlands, but could not deny Saudi Arabia in a 1-0 group stage defeat before bowing out to Die Mannschaft.
Fabien Barthez won Golden Glove playing on home soil at 1998 France World Cup
Fabien Barthez was the first goalkeeper to win the Golden Glove at a World Cup played on home soil. The 87-cap star also helped France win the 1998 tournament as the host nation with five clean sheets, whilst playing every second of their seven ties during that summer.
The Lavelanet native shut out South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Paraguay, Italy and also Brazil in the final. Barthez’s efforts to thwart Italy also saw the UEFA 2000 European Championship winner deny Demetrio Albertini in a shoot-out before Luigi Di Biagio missed Italy’s last kick.
Oliver Kahn took Golden Glove and Golden Ball in 2002 at Japan and South Korea
Oliver Kahn became the first player to win both the Golden Glove and the Golden Ball with his performances at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The German captained his nation all the way to the final with five clean sheets, before they lost 2-0 against Brazil.
Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, Paraguay, the United States and South Korea all failed to beat the 86-cap international. The Republic of Ireland were the only team to score past Kahn up to Brazil in the final, with the Boys in Green holding Die Mannschaft to a 1-1 draw in Group E.
Gianluigi Buffon won the last Lev Yashin Award as Italy the won 2006 World Cup
Gianluigi Buffon will be remembered as one of the all-time great goalkeepers when the 44-year-old – current Parma captain – eventually retires. The Carrara native has been playing professionally since 1995 with a domestic career boasting over 650 top-flight appearances.
He also won 10 Serie A titles and six Coppa Italias at Juventus, a Ligue 1 title at Paris Saint-Germain and the 1998/99 UEFA Cup with Parma. While in 2006, Buffon helped Italy win it all at the World Cup in Germany, whilst the 176-cap icon also swept up the Golden Glove.
Buffon proved to be the best goalkeeper at the World Cup in Germany that summer – the Parma product’s third of five tournaments. He recorded clean sheets against Ghana, Czech Republic, Australia, Ukraine and Germany before the Azzurri beat France 6-4 on penalties.
Iker Casillas won the first renamed award as Spain won in 2010 at South Africa
Iker Casillas was the first goalkeeper to win the renamed Golden Glove award at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The Spaniard merited individual recognition whilst La Roja won their first, and so far only, Fifa title at the first tournament to be held in an African nation.
He captained Spain all the way to lifting the title with a 1-0 win over the Netherlands at the Soccer City stadium. The 167-cap shot-stopping icon also shut out Honduras, Portugal, Paraguay and Germany – only conceding one goal against both Switzerland and Chile.
A World Cup in 2010 sandwiched Casillas and Spain winning the 2008 and 2012 European Championships. He also won three Champions League, five La Liga and two Copa del Rey titles at Real Madrid over a 725-game career at the Galacticos as an academy product.
Manuel Neuer helped Germany win 2014 World Cup and take Golden Glove award
Manuel Neuer coupled the 2014 World Cup title with Germany by lifting the Golden Glove award, as well. The 113-cap Bayern Munich captain will now look to be the first two-time Golden Glove winner at the 2022 edition in Qatar as Die Mannschaft’s captain since 2014.
He took over the armband after Philipp Lahm retired as a World Cup champion at Neuer’s second of a possible four editions. The goalkeeper also kept four clean sheets in Brazil with shut outs against Portugal, the USA, France and in the final with Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Thibaut Courtois will now strive to become first player to retain the Golden Glove
Belgium star Courtois will also look to be the first two-time Golden Glove award winner at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. But he travels to the first Middle Eastern Fifa tournament as the only player with the chance of becoming the first back-to-back Golden Glove recipient.
Courtois merited individual recognition at Russia 2018 after helping the Red Devils get into the semi-finals. He shut out Panama and England – as captain – in the group stage, and the 94-cap international again denied the Three Lions any goals to win the third-place play-off.
The 30-year-old would concede six goals over meetings with Tunisia (2) in the group stage, Japan (2) in the Round of 16, Brazil (1) in the quarter-final and France (1) in the semi-final. But Courtois produced a raft of vital saves over an error-free summer – unlike Hugo Lloris.