Updated July 24, 2026
World Cup 2026 Golden Glove: Unai Simon wins best goalkeeper
Unai Simon won the World Cup 2026 Golden Glove after Spain's title run, with the final clean sheet against Argentina giving the award its clearest explanation. Rodri won the Golden Ball, Mbappe won the Golden Boot, and Simon carried the goalkeeper story.
Photo: Bryan Berlin via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; resized for display.
Fast answer
Who won the World Cup 2026 Golden Glove?
Winner
The award went to Unai Simon
Spain's goalkeeper ended the tournament with the Golden Glove after a title run built on control and late-stage reliability.
Decisive detail
The final clean sheet mattered
Spain's 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina gave Simon the cleanest closing argument among the leading goalkeepers.
Do not mix up
This is not the Golden Ball
Simon won the goalkeeper award. Rodri was named best player, while Mbappe won the scoring race.
Why Spain helped
A keeper's award still has a team story
Spain's midfield control reduced chaos, but Simon still had to handle the moments that reached him.
Who was in the conversation
How the late-stage goalkeepers compare
| Goalkeeper | Team | Status | Tournament context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unai Simon | Spain | Golden Glove winner | Champion goalkeeper, final clean sheet, Spain's defensive reliability |
| Emiliano Martinez | Argentina | Finalist goalkeeper | Reached the final with Argentina before Spain's extra-time winner |
| Mike Maignan | France | Final-four goalkeeper | France finished fourth while Mbappe led the scoring awards |
| Jordan Pickford | England | Third-place goalkeeper | England finished third after the 6-4 win over France |
Award meaning
Why the award fits Simon and Spain
Golden Glove
Start with the night Spain won it
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time. When a goalkeeper finishes that match on the winning side without conceding, the Golden Glove case becomes much easier to understand.
Golden Glove
Keep the three headline awards separate
Golden Glove, Golden Ball and Golden Boot answer different questions. Simon was the goalkeeper winner, Rodri was the best-player winner, and Mbappe topped the scoring race.
Golden Glove
Spain's shape is part of the answer
Goalkeepers are judged individually, but clean sheets rarely come from one player alone. Spain's midfield and back line made Simon's tournament look steadier.
Golden Glove
If you only remember one line
Unai Simon was the goalkeeper winner, not the best-player winner. That distinction is the key to reading the 2026 awards without mixing up Rodri, Mbappe and Simon.
World Cup 2026 Golden Glove FAQ
Who won the World Cup 2026 Golden Glove?
Unai Simon won the World Cup 2026 Golden Glove as the tournament's best goalkeeper.
Why did Unai Simon win the Golden Glove?
Spain's title run, defensive control and final clean sheet against Argentina gave Simon the strongest goalkeeper case.
Is the Golden Glove the same as the Golden Ball?
No. The Golden Glove is the goalkeeper award. The Golden Ball is the best-player award, which Rodri won in 2026.
Is the Golden Glove decided by clean sheets only?
Clean sheets matter, but the award also reflects overall goalkeeping performance, knockout-stage context and how the goalkeeper performed in the tournament's biggest matches.
Which team did the 2026 Golden Glove winner play for?
Unai Simon played for Spain, the World Cup 2026 champion.
Read next
Follow the award from Spain to the full list
Awards
World Cup 2026 awards
Complete winners list with Golden Ball, Golden Boot, Golden Glove, Best Young Player and Fair Play Trophy.
Champion
World Cup 2026 winner
Spain champion, Argentina runner-up, final score, prize money and trophy ceremony context.
Young Player
Pau Cubarsi award result
Why Cubarsi, not the louder Yamal storyline, finished as the tournament's best young player.
Final
Spain vs Argentina final
Spain 1-0 Argentina, Ferran Torres' extra-time winner and the result behind the clean-sheet story.
Golden Ball
Rodri Golden Ball result
Why the best-player award went to Spain's midfield leader.
Golden Boot
Mbappe Golden Boot result
Goals, assists and the scoring award that sits apart from Simon's goalkeeper prize.
Team
Spain's tournament record
Spain's tournament path, final record and squad context after winning the title.
Coverage trust
World Cup 2026 Golden Glove sources
Sources below compare the award result with Spain's final, the complete awards list and goalkeeper context.
Official sources
Official FIFA references
FOX Sports: 2026 FIFA World Cup individual award winners
foxsports.com/stories/soccer/2026-fifa-world-cup-every-individual-award-winner
Economic Times: FIFA World Cup 2026 award winners list
m.economictimes.com/news/new-updates/fifa-world-cup-2026-award-winners-complete-list-check-who-won-golden-ball-golden-boot-silver-boot-and-more/articleshow/132504961.cms
AP: Spain beat Argentina in the World Cup 2026 final
apnews.com/article/4a3a8c93c0b21c1db866f7bd857f1c32
FIFA: Spain vs Argentina final statistics
fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/spain-argentina-final-statistics
Wikimedia Commons: Unai Simon and Kylian Mbappe image source
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Unai_Simon_Kylian_Mbappe_France_v_Spain_7.24.26-132.jpg