Goalkeepers don’t get their due credit since goals are king in football. But over the years, it has been proven time and time again that they are crucial to winning the biggest games and tournaments, such as the World Cup.
Cape Verde, Mexico, and Switzerland, among others, would not have qualified for the knockout phase of the World Cup 2026 if it weren’t for their goalkeepers, since their steadying presence has helped their nations secure important World Cup 2026 results. As the competition gets tighter by the day, they will be even more important for their respective countries.
In this SBOTOP list, we’ll highlight the shot-stoppers who have caught our attention in the quadrennial tournament. Continue reading below to learn more.
Vozinha, Cape Verde
Cape Verde became the darlings of this year’s tournament, defying the World Cup 2026 odds to reach the knockout phase. After securing three draws to take the second seed in Group H, the Blue Wave faced Argentina in the Round of 32 and pushed the defending champions to the limit before ultimately losing 3-2 in extra time.
Vozinha has been the central figure in Cape Verde’s success. The 40-year-old goalkeeper is the living proof that it’s never too late to reach your dreams, and after his performance in the tournament, perhaps he’ll have suitors in the transfer market.
He was mainly responsible for holding Spain to a goalless draw in the opening matchday by making seven key saves. Vozinha was named Man of the Match for that, and his social media following grew astronomically. After conceding twice against Uruguay, Cape Verde held Saudi Arabia to another goalless draw to cap off their group-stage campaign.
Against Argentina, Vozinha did all he could to keep Cape Verde in the game with eight key saves, but they lost through a late own goal from Diney. After the match, Vozinha drew praise from Lionel Messi, whom he swapped shirts with after stopping him twice.
Vozinha described his encounter with Messi as something that would remain engraved in his heart forever, as the Argentine forward told him he is a hero for his nation for helping Cape Verde reach this far.
Raul Rangel, Mexico
Mexico may have found their starting goalkeeper for the foreseeable future after having valid concerns about it entering this year’s finals. With Guillermo Ochoa not getting any younger, El Tri have leaned on Raul “Tala” Rangel to be their main man between the sticks.
With Rangel at No. 1, Mexico didn’t concede a single goal throughout the group stage, while scoring six goals on the other end to be among the few teams to finish with a 100-per cent record (besides Argentina and France). Such a trend continued in the Round of 32, as they won 2-0 against Ecuador. Rangel’s most memorable save came against South Korea, as he snuffed out Yang Hyun-Jun’s late attempt on an equaliser before the ball could cross the goal line despite being in a sitting position.
Rangel reached 384 minutes with an unbeaten clean sheet, and he only trails Italian goalkeeper Walter Zenga, who reached 518 minutes without conceding a goal during the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
However, Mexico’s campaign came to a screeching halt on Sunday when they lost 3-2 to England in the Round of 16. Jude Bellingham scored twice in three minutes, while Harry Kane converted a penalty during the hour mark despite being reduced to 10 men. Julian Quinones – another under-the-radar star in the finals – was on the scoresheet for El Tri, alongside Raul Jimenez.
Following his breakout World Cup campaign, Rangel will certainly garner some suitors in the transfer market. However, the 26-year-old is under contract with Chivas until mid-2028.
Gregor Kobel, Switzerland
Switzerland are through to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years after winning 4-3 on penalties against Colombia following a goalless draw, and they have their goalie, Gregor Kobel, to largely thank for that.
Kobel was named Man of the Match for his key saves. The 28-year-old Borussia Dortmund star also went 39-for-48 in accurate passes and 9-for-18 in accurate long balls and won all three of his duels (ground and air). His biggest save came during the penalty shootout, as he thwarted Cucho Hernandez’s shot before Ruben Vargas sealed the deal for the Red Crosses. Before this match, Switzerland – who seized the top spot in Group B – conceded only three goals while scoring nine on the other end, making them one of the most underrated defenses in this year’s finals.
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