FIFA World Cup Golden Glove Winners List (1994–2026): Unai Simon From Spain Wins in 2026

Unai Simon of Spain made it a remarkable FIFA World Cup 2026 after receiving the esteemed Golden Glove award that acknowledges the best goalkeeper in the tournament. He played a vital part in the title victory of Spain by keeping seven clean sheets and giving away just one goal during the tournament as La Roja achieved a 1-0 win over Argentina in the final after extra time. His exceptional showings made it to the top echelon of great goalkeepers in football. Here’s everything to know about the FIFA World Cup Golden Glove and the full list of winners.

What is Known as the FIFA World Cup Golden Glove Award?

The FIFA World Cup Golden Glove award is given to the best goalkeeper in the tournament.

The award comes with various criteria. FIFA looks at the following,

• Overall goalkeeping performance
• Total crucial saves
• Consistency in performance
• Control over the penalty area
• Influence on the success of the team

The award was called the Lev Yashin award before it became known as the Golden Glove award, to honor the legendary goalkeeper from the USSR, Lev Yashin, who was the very first goalkeeper ever to win the Ballon d’Or.

Since the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the Golden Glove award has been presented at every FIFA World Cup game.

FIFA World Cup Golden Glove 2026 Awarded to Unai Simon

Unai Simon served the best goalkeeping performances in the World Cup history that helped Spain win the tournament.

The Athletic Club goalkeeper ended the tournament with the,

• 7 clean sheets
• Only one goal conceded
• Outstanding performances through the knockout rounds
• Confidence in distribution and great leadership in the box

His consistency in performances made him the choice for the Golden Glove award.

Complete FIFA World Cup Golden Glove Winners List (1994-2026)

Year	Golden Glove Winner	Country
1994	Michel Preud’homme	Belgium
1998	Fabien Barthez	France
2002	Oliver Kahn	Germany
2006	Gianluigi Buffon	Italy
2010	Iker Casillas	Spain
2014	Manuel Neuer	Germany
2018	Thibaut Courtois	Belgium
2022	Emiliano Martinez	Argentina
2026	Unai Simon	Spain

Golden Glove winners and World Champions

Winning the Golden Glove and the World Cup in a World Cup tournament is not a small accomplishment.

The goalkeepers who managed this are as follows,

• Fabien Barthez (France, 1998)
• Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, 2006)
• Iker Casillas (Spain, 2010)
• Emiliano Martinez (Argentina, 2022)
• Unai Simon (Spain, 2026)

These goalkeepers played a big role in their respective national teams winning the biggest football trophy of all time.