Goalkeepers steal the show as underdogs hold their own at the 2026 World Cup

As goals pour in at a record pace at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, the tournament has also produced a string of spectacular goalkeeping performances. Underdogs including Cape Verde, Iran and Curaçao have defied expectations, and much of their success has rested on their shot-stoppers.

Iran's national team drew 0-0 with European powerhouse Belgium in their Group G second-round match at Los Angeles Stadium in California on Sunday (Korean Standard Time).

Belgium fired seven shots on target at Iran, but goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand turned every one of them away to preserve the clean sheet.

The Athletic, the sports outlet owned by The New York Times, singled out one save in particular, writing that Beiranvand stretched out his palm to deflect a shot from Maxim De Cuyper. The outlet said the stop deserved to be in the conversation for the best save of the tournament.

Cape Verde, another side writing an unlikely story at this World Cup, also owe much to their goalkeeper. Vozinha made 27 saves against Spain on June 16 to secure a 0-0 draw — Cape Verde's first-ever point at a World Cup finals.

Curaçao, an island nation of 150,000 people, also drew 0-0 with Ecuador in their group-stage match on Saturday. Goalkeeper Eloy Room stopped all 15 of Ecuador's shots to help his side claim their first point of the tournament.

The heroics of these goalkeepers, however, are the exception rather than the rule at this year's tournament.

The competition's 100th goal was scored in the Group F second-round match between the Netherlands and Sweden on June 20 — only the second time goals have reached that milestone so quickly, after the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, which was played over 20 matches. The BBC attributed the high-scoring nature of this tournament to the unpredictable flight of the official match ball, the Trionda, as well as the expanded field of teams, which has brought more mismatches into the group stage.