Unai Simon won the Golden Glove at the 2026 World Cup as Spain lifted the trophy at MetLife Stadium on July 19. He kept seven clean sheets, a single-tournament record for a goalkeeper, and went 650 minutes without conceding before Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere scored the only goal Spain let in all tournament.
Key Facts
- Golden Glove winner at the 2026 World Cup.
- Seven clean sheets, a record for a goalkeeper at a single World Cup.
- 650 minutes without conceding, a World Cup record, passing Walter Zenga’s 1990 mark.
- Spain conceded one goal in eight matches, the fewest by a World Cup winner.
- Argentina failed to register a shot on target in the final, so Simon had no save to make.
The Run to the Trophy
| Stage | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Group H | Cape Verde | 0-0 |
| Group H | Saudi Arabia | 4-0 |
| Group H | Uruguay | 1-0 |
| Round of 32 | Austria | 3-0 |
| Round of 16 | Portugal | 1-0 |
| Quarter-final | Belgium | 2-1 |
| Semi-final | France | 2-0 |
| Final | Argentina | 1-0 after extra time |
The Only Goal Conceded
Spain’s clean-sheet run ended in the quarter-final in Inglewood on July 10. Fabian Ruiz put Spain ahead in the 30th minute, then De Ketelaere headed home a Timothy Castagne cross in the 41st to level. Mikel Merino scored the winner in the 88th minute, two minutes after coming on, after Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens spilled a long shot from Pau Cubarsi.
Spain’s unbeaten run since March 2023 reached 37 matches that night, and it was their first semi-final since they won the 2010 World Cup.
The Final
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring in the 106th minute from a Nico Williams header. Argentina had two shots in total and none on target.
His Club Season
Simon made 46 appearances for Athletic Bilbao in 2025-26: 37 in La Liga, eight in the Copa del Rey and one in Europe. He extended his contract at the club to 2029 at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Related Reading
Read about his defensive partner Pau Cubarsi, the tournament’s other record-setters in Lamine Yamal’s World Cup, and our 2030 outlook.
Sources: Wikipedia: Unai Simon, AP via KUTV, Wikipedia: 2026 FIFA World Cup final.