Spain's Unai Simón caps brilliant World Cup with Golden Glove

Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simón was awarded the 2026 World Cup Golden Glove after helping his team win the tournament, having allowed only one goal in eight matches and setting several defensive records.

The only goal Spain allowed came in their quarter-final victory over Belgium. Simon and his teammates then kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win over Argentina in the final, ensuring Spain lifted the trophy after conceding the fewest goals ever by a World Cup-winning side.

The 29-year-old goalkeeper was a consistent presence throughout the tournament. His reflexes, command of the penalty area and ability to deal with crosses and balls played behind the defence helped Spain remain defensively solid from the group stage to the final.

Simon also formed a formidable partnership with central defenders Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi, as Spain established itself as the tournament's most resilient defensive unit.

Despite facing strong competition for the starting spot from fellow goalkeepers David Raya and Joan Garcia, Simon retained Luis de la Fuente's confidence and justified his selection with a string of commanding performances.

The World Cup marks another milestone in Simon's international career. Having already helped Spain win the UEFA European Championship, where he kept three clean sheets in six matches, he has now added football's biggest prize to his list of achievements.

His performances throughout the tournament have strengthened his reputation as one of Spain's finest goalkeepers. While Iker Casillas remains widely regarded as the country's greatest goalkeeper, Simon's displays in the United States, Canada and Mexico rank among the finest individual goalkeeping campaigns in Spanish national team history.