Last update 14 June, 2022 por Alberto Llopis
¿Quiénes son the goalkeepers who have saved the most penalties in World Cup history? There is little left for the Mundial de Qatar 2022 give the starting signal and the spotlights are already beginning to settle on stars like Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi among many others. Sin embargo, beyond the strikers lie the forgotten, the shadowy protagonists and their worst enemies: the goalkeepers.
Only one thing more intense than those seconds before the ball leaves the top scorer's feet and the goalkeeper makes his choice., the penalty. If by itself any movement near the heart area of any, when the maximum penalty is called, each palpitation becomes a stab.
So today, in honor of those great abandoned under sticks, we bring a list of the best goalkeepers, of those who stood out saving penalties dressed in the jersey of their national team.
Los porteros que han parado más penaltis en la historia de los Mundiales
HARALD SCHUMACHER
The goalkeeper of German origin has only played in two World Cups, the one of España 1982 and that of Mexico 1986. In both he established himself as an indisputable figure, an essential for your selection, which he made reach the final in his two appearances .
In Spain, his role was very lauded after saving two penalties against France for the victory of his team (5-4) in the semi-final in 1982. A feat that he repeated in the quarterfinals of the Copa de 1986, in which the Mexicans witnessed another two saves against the host team, your selection.
SERGIO GOYCOCHEA
It is not common for the starting goalkeeper signed by the coach to get injured, but even less common is that your understudy does better. This is the case of Sergio Goycochea, goalkeeper of the Argentine National Team who had to replace Nery Pumpido, due to injury, in the second game of the group stage of the Italy World Cup 1990.
His feat began to be written in the quarterfinals against Yugoslavia, when two shots from the 11 meters covered by Goyco gave him the victory (3-2) to the Albiceleste. With him the Argentines were able to qualify for the semifinals, where they shone again thanks to a magnificent performance by the goalkeeper, that prevented the direct shots on goal by Roberto Donadoni and Aldo Serena in the victory (4-3). He went down in history for being the goalkeeper who pissed to stop penalties.
IKER CASILLAS
If there is a goalkeeper remembered by all that is Iker Casillas. The youngster from Móstoles wore the National Team shirt three times, 2002, 2006 y 2010, and he could also wear it in the maximum penalties called by the referees.
The first time I would do it would be in the Korea-Japan World Cup 2002. in that tournament, the goalkeeper was the key piece on the board to get the place in the round of 16 thanks to the two penalties he saved in La Roja's victory against Ireland (3-2). The second time would be in South Africa 2010, edition in which Spain became world champion after great actions of "1". Among them, Oscar Cardozo's penalty stands out in the victory (1-0) against Paraguay in quarterfinals.
RICARDO
The former Portuguese soccer player shone with his country's shirt in the summers of 2002 y 2006. Especially in the latter, where his definition by penalties in the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Germany 2006 allowed him to take his team to the semis (3-1) after containing three shots against David Beckham's England.
TIM KRUL
His performance at the World Cup in Brazil surprised more than one. And it is that despite not being the starter under sticks, Tim Krull knew how to gain a foothold in the World Cup in Brazil 2014 when they beat Costa Rica (4-3) stopping the shots of Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umaña.
A feat that led the Dutch National Team to the semi-finals, where he finally fell to Argentina, curiously also with penalties involved but with a difference, Tim Krul wasn't the one to stop them..
SERGIO ROMERO
The other side of the coin of that semi-final match of the World Cup in Brazil 2014 It was the one that the goalkeeper of La Albiceleste showed. Sergio Romero He gave his best version by beating shots from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder. Saves that led Alejandro Sabella's boys to a final against Germany that they ended up losing (1-0).
