The World Cup 2022 is finally here again and we are very excited to see which goalkeepers will deliver the best performance this time. Let us take a look back on the past world championships and give you an overview of the previous Golden Glove winners.

The 'Golden Glove Award' is presented to the most outstanding goal keeper at each FIFA World Cup finals. An award has been given to the best goalkeeper since the first World Cup in 1930.

The winner of the first ever Golden Gloves is Enrique Bellestrero. The Uruguayan distinguished himself with numerous saves and later also won the very first World Cup, which also took place in his home country.

At the 1934 World Cup in Italy, the Spaniard Ricardo Zamora was able to celebrate the award for best goalkeeper. Although Zamora failed with the Spanish national team in the quarter-finals against the hosts and later world champions Italy, he was able to shine with his grandiose goalkeeping performance and secure the Golden Glove Award.

Although Czechoslovakia only made it to the quarter-finals in 1938, Czechoslovak international goalkeeper Frantisek Planicka scooped the Golden Glove for his exceptional performances. The winner of the World Cup, held in France, was the Italian national team for the second time, who were able to defend their title.

After the 12-year break, which was due to the Second World War, a world championship could finally take place again in 1950. At this World Cup, the Uruguayan national team prevailed against the hosts Brazil and was thus able to secure their second World Cup title. The Uruguayan goalkeeper Roque Maspoli, who was awarded the Golden Glove, was also responsible for this success. Maspoli was able to convince with a world-class goalkeeping performance and extraordinary saves.

At the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, Gyula Grosics won the Golden Glove. Despite his extraordinary performances, the Hungarian lost to Germany in the final. Incidentally, Austria was able to achieve third place at this World Cup, its best placing at a World Cup so far.

Although the Northern Ireland national team was eliminated in the quarter-finals in 1958, Northern Ireland's Harry Gregg was awarded the Golden Glove for his exceptional performance. Brazil won the World Cup in Sweden for the first time.

Czechoslovak national goalkeeper Viliam Schroif secured the Golden Glove Award at the 1962 World Cup in Chile. Despite his world-class performances throughout the World Cup, he had to admit defeat in the final against Brazil, who were able to defend their world championship title.

The Englishman Gordon Banks has not only achieved great fame in England through his extraordinary performance in England's only world championship title so far. Banks was named best goalkeeper at the 1966 World Cup, which was also played in his home country.

Uruguay's Ladislao Mazurkiewicz was awarded the Golden Glove at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. In view of his extraordinary saves, this was a well-deserved reward for Mazurkiewicz. However, Uruguay were defeated in the semi-finals by eventual world champions Brazil.

The German Sepp Maier achieved great fame in 1974 by winning the world championship on home soil and being awarded the Golden Glove. The German excelled with grandiose performances throughout the entire world championship and is therefore deservedly included in the list of Golden Glove winners. Sepp Maier played with Reusch goalkeeper gloves:

In 1978, Argentina was also able to distinguish itself as world champion for the first time. Argentina's national goalkeeper Ubaldo Fillol played a large part in the success at home. With his world-class saves, Fillol convinced all along the line and gained great fame.

At 40 at the time, Italian Dino Zoff is the oldest player ever to win a World Cup. He was also awarded the Golden Glove. At the World Cup in Spain, Zoff impressed with extraordinary saves and led Italy to their third world championship title. Dino Zoff played with Uhlsport goalkeeper gloves:

Belgian Jean-Marie Pfaff, winner of the Golden Glove in Mexico 1986, made it to the semi-finals with the Belgium national team. There, despite his world-class performances, Pfaff had to admit defeat over the entire tournament against eventual world champions Argentina, who were able to win their second and so far last world championship title.

In 1990, the Golden Glove was awarded to 2 different goalkeepers for the only time. Both Luis Gabelo Conejo from Costa Rica and Argentinian Sergio Goycochea were so convincing at this World Cup that obviously no single winner could be determined. While fan favorite Cenojo only made it to the last sixteen with Costa Rica, Goycochea reached the final with Argentina, although they were beaten by Germany.

After Jean-Marie Pfaff, Michel Preud'homme is the second Belgian national goalkeeper to win the Golden Glove Award. Although Preud'homme was eliminated with Belgium in the round of 16, his outstanding performances led him to the award for the best goalkeeper of this World Cup in the USA.

Former French soccer goalkeeper and current racing driver Fabien Barthez was able to secure the Golden Glove in 1998 for his world-class performance as a goalkeeper. Barthez won her first world title on home soil with France, which brought him and the French national team great fame.

At the 2002 World Championships in South Korea and Japan, the German Oliver Kahn was honored with the Golden Glove for his extraordinary achievements. Oliver Kahn is also the only player to date who has won both the Golden Glove and the Golden Ball, i.e. the award for the overall best player at a world championship. In the final, however, he had to admit defeat with Germany against Brazil, who were able to secure their fifth World Cup title.

The now 44-year-old and still active Italian Gianluigi Buffon experienced his absolute career highlight at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. With his world-class performance throughout the World Cup, Buffon was partly responsible for the great triumph of the Italians and therefore deservedly received the Golden Glove Award. Gianluigi Buffon played with PUMA goalkeeper gloves:

In 2010, the Spaniard Iker Casillas was able to win both the world title and the Golden Glove Award. The then 29-year-old Real Madrid goalkeeper made exceptional saves throughout the World Cup, contributing enormously to Spain's first World Cup title.

The now 36-year-old German Manuel Neuer experienced a real summer fairy tale in Brazil in 2010 with Germany. With his world-class performance, Neuer helped the German national team achieve a big coup and was therefore deservedly honored with the Golden Glove Award. Manuel Neuer played with adidas goalkeeper gloves:

The last Golden Glove Award was presented to Belgian Thibaut Courtois in 2018. The 30-year-old Belgian made a big impression with his extraordinary goalkeeping performance at the World Cup in Russia. In the semi-finals, however, Courtois and Belgium had to admit defeat to eventual world champions France. Thibout Courtois played with NIKE goalkeeper gloves:

The big question now is who can secure the Golden Glove Award in Qatar this year. So far, no goalkeeper has won the Golden Glove twice. Will this curse be broken for the first time this year by Thibaut Courtois or Manuel Neuer?

Source: https://www.topendsports.com/events/worldcupsoccer/golden-glove.htm