Chris Boline
There are four main contenders for the prestigious Golden Glove award given to the Top Goalkeeper of the World Cup, and all four have a chance at winning the award.
Who do Bettors Favor?
According to the best-rated online sportsbooks there’s fierce competition among three of the candidates for the Golden Glove, with bettors favoring Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic at odds of +175. Close behind is Yassine Bounou of Morocco at +200, followed by Damien Martinez of Argentina, priced at +275, with Hugo Lloris of France rated the underdog at +600.
| World Cup Top Goalkeeper |  |  |
| Livakovic | +176 | +175 |
| Bounou | +200 | +200 |
| Martinez | +275 | +275 |
| Lloris | +400 | +600 |
World Cup Top Goalkeeper Betting Briefing
The Golden Glove award for the World Cup’s top goalkeeper is one of the three big individual prizes given to players who excel at each World Cup tournament.
It was launched in 1994 and was previously known as the Lev Yashin Award – named after the legendary Russian goalkeeper – but since 2010 it has been known as the Golden Glove and in case you’re wondering, yes, the winner does receive a literal golden glove as a prize.
Like the Golden Ball prize, but unlike the Golden Boot, the Golden Glove winner is determined by a FIFA Technical Committee. The number of saves made and the number of clean sheets kept seem to be major factors, but to an extent the award is a question of judgement and is supposed to go to the goalkeeper who has made the biggest contribution to his team’s efforts. It is worth noting that the last six winners all came from teams that made the final four at the tournament, and five of them were World Cup finalists.
Livakovic Enjoying Golden Tournament
Dominik Livakovic is enjoying a golden World Cup, putting on the kind of performance that can define a career. He plays his club football for Dinamo Zagreb, but that may change after the 27-year-old showed both enormous ability and poise under pressure for his nation, particularly in the knockout rounds.
So far in the competition, he has made 19 saves, a total that is behind only Wojciech Szczesny of Poland, and should easily surpass that total. In addition, he has contributed two clean sheets, but his biggest contributions have come in the knockout stages.
Livakovic was the Player of the Match in the wins against Japan and against Brazil. Across the two games, he also made four penalty saves, including three against Japan – only the third goalkeeper in World Cup history to make three saves in a single shootout. Up against a closely matched opponent in Argentina in the semi-final, Livakovic may well be called upon for more heroics.
Bounou Boosting His Reputation
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who plays his club football at Sevilla, may not have expected to be on this list, but then no-one expected Morocco to get this far.
Based on what we have seen so far, he has certainly boosted his reputation, while playing a key role in helping Morocco reach the last four. He has kept three clean sheets in the tournament, the joint-highest figure, yet has only started four of his team’s five games so far.
Although he ranks low on the lists for number of saves made, like Livakovic, he has produced penalty shootout heroics, saving two against Spain, and has earned two Player of the Match awards. Still, he is slightly behind Livakovic at this stage, and as Morocco is the weakest team in the last four, his record could yet decline significantly, so at a relatively short price, he doesn’t look a good pick.
Martinez Makes His Case
Damien Martinez has not been as flashy as the two goalkeepers ahead of him in the betting, but he has made his case for being one of the best players in the tournament. He has recorded two clean sheets, the same number as Livakovic, and has also had a starring role in a penalty shootout, saving two spot kicks against the Netherlands to take his team to the semi-finals.
Like Bounou, he is behind Livakovic on most of the key stats, but unlike Bounou, he plays for one of the two teams most favored to win the tournament and could have two more games to improve his stats.
Lloris a Long Shot
Probably the best goalkeeper of the four, Hugo Lloris is nevertheless a long shot in this market. His hopes hinge largely on France being the tournament favorites, and with four of the last six Golden Glove winners coming from the World Cup-winning team, there is some logic there.
When it comes to the stats, however, Lloris looks way off the pace. He hasn’t yet kept a clean sheet, starred in a penalty shootout or won a Player of the Match Award. He has made more saves (eight) than Martinez and Bounou, but ranks only joint 19th in the tournament on that metric. He may well get to lift the World Cup but the Golden Glove will surely be going elsewhere.
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