Two players will have the chance to climb the FIFA ranking of goalkeepers who have gone the most games without conceding a goal in World Cup duels – and surpass three Brazilians.
German Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), 40 years old, who had retired from the German national team, was called up for his fifth World Cup – a feat for anyone under the goalposts. And now he will have the chance to improve his brand even further, if he becomes a starter.
To date, Neuer has played 19 World Cup matches. Of these, he did not concede a goal on seven occasions.
In South Africa 2010, the ball did not go in on three occasions. In Brazil-2014, when Germany won the fourth championship, they came up empty in four of the seven duels (including the decision). In total, Neuer conceded 16 goals.
Belgian Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), 34, has the same number of games without conceding goals in World Cups, but played 15 matches (concealed 11 goals).
In 2014 and 2022, he remained without conceding goals on two occasions each. In 2018, the year in which his country eliminated Brazil, he went through unscathed three times.
Tied with Neuer and Courtois are other notable names in the position such as the Brazilian Gilmar (14 games), the Uruguayan Muslera (16), the Spaniard Casillas (17).
Just ahead are, among three others (see ranking below), Emerson Leão and Claudio Taffarel.
Leão went to four World Cups and only played in two (74 and 78, when he didn’t concede goals in four matches in each edition).
Taffarel, now goalkeeping coach for the Brazilian national team, was a starter in the three editions he played. In 1990, he went two games without conceding a goal. In 1994, the year of the fourth season, he stayed in five matches, including the decision with the right to extra time. And, in 1998, when he was runner-up, only in one duel did he not see his opponents celebrate.
Leaders in this regard in World Cups are Fabien Barthez (France) and Peter Shilton (England), both with ten games without being leaked.
Goalkeepers with the most games without conceding goals in World Cups
10 matches
Fabien Barthez (France, 17 games)
Peter Shilton (England, 17 games)
8 matches
Jan Jongbloed (Netherlands, 12 games)
Emerson Leão (Brazil, 14 games)
Sepp Maier (West Germany, 18 games)
Taffarel (Brazil, 18 games)
Hugo Lloris (France, 20 games)
7 games
Gilmar (Brazil, 14 games)
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, 15 games)
Fernando Muslera (Uruguay, 16 games)
Iker Casillas (Spain, 17 games)
Manuel Neuer (Germany, 19 games)
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