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While Golden Boot winners of the past have helped their teams do well at the FIFA World Cup, Golden Glove winners have often been on the winning team. Goalkeepers are arguably as important as forwards, especially for do-or-die situations that pop up in knockout tournaments.
Three of the last five winners of the Golden Glove have also won the World Cup trophy. The exceptions were Oliver Kahn (Germany, 2002) and Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, 2018).
Kahn is the only player ever to win both the Golden Glove and the Golden Ball (best player) in the same edition of the World Cup. He kept a staggering five clean sheets in 2002, which has not been topped since.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will have several top goalkeepers taking up their spots between the sticks. On that note, let's take a look at how the top five favorites to win the Golden Glove are ranked.
#5. Hugo Lloris (France)
While France enter this World Cup as the defending champions and one of the favorites, they have not been particularly the best team while defending. Lloris is also just returning from an injury layoff that kept him out for a few weeks.
However, he is one of the best shot-stoppers in the game irrespective of his ability or likelihood to keep a clean sheet. Lloris is ranked fifth and is tied with Unai Simon of Spain, but pips him to fifth place on our list since France has a better chance of going deeper in the tournament.
#4. Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)
Tremendous pressure will be on any player who plays alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina during the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Martinez has only recently become Los Albiceleste's first-choice 'keeper in the last two years.
With defenders Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez in defense, Emi Martinez will feel confident about his chances of winning the coveted Golden Glove for the first time in his career.
#3. Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Neuer is a regular customer in lists of this kind as he has been the main goalkeeper for a dominant German national team for more than a decade. He is one of two players on this list to have already won the Golden Glove, doing so in 2014 as Germany lifted the World Cup.
His team enters as one of the favorites to make a deep run into the competition. Considering Neuer is 36 years old, he is expected to start every game since this is arguably his last appearance in the competition.
#2. Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
The defending Golden Glove winner enters this edition of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar as only the second favorite. That is mostly because Belgium is far from their best at present and is unlikely to win this tournament.
Courtois earned three clean sheets en route to winning the Golden Glove in Russia in 2018 as Belgium finished in third place. He is ranked as the second favorite by many websites, including The Telegraph.
#1. Alisson Becker (Brazil)
With Brazil the favorites to lift their sixth FIFA World Cup in Qatar next month, Alisson has become the automatic favorite to win the Golden Glove considering he is their starting goalkeeper. European goalkeepers have won the prestigious award at every edition since the 1994 World Cup and Alisson will be keen to break that streak.
He is ranked first by several websites, including The Telegraph, which have made him an overwhelming favorite to win the award.
