Orlando Gill's outstanding display in Paraguay's Round-of-32 victory over Germany offered another reminder of the growing importance of goalkeepers at the .
The demands placed on the position have never been greater. As well as making crucial saves, goalkeepers are increasingly expected to launch attacks, break opposition lines and provide composure in possession. The latest , recognise excellence in both disciplines, with Gill and South Africa's Ronwen Williams the current leaders.
The Power Rankings use advanced metrics to measure players' influence throughout the tournament. The goalkeeper rankings assess players across two categories. In Possession rewards those who contribute to their team's build-up through metrics such as completed passes and distribution beyond the opposition, while 'Defending the Goal' focuses on actions closest to goal, including saves, attempts at goal faced, goal preventions and possession regains.
Here, FIFA spotlights the goalkeepers whose performances have stood above the rest, based on data from the group stage.
Emerging as the tournament's leading performer in the 'Defending the Goal' rankings Orlando Gill (8.26) lit up the group stage with his ability to deliver in the moments that mattered most. Across three games, the Paraguay goalkeeper made 13 saves from 16 attempts at goal faced, recorded 63 goal preventions and helped La Albirroja keep two clean sheets. While the rankings are based solely on Paraguay's three Group D matches, his superb display against Germany in the Round of 32 only reinforced those numbers, as he repeatedly denied the four-time champions before saving two penalties in the shootout to send his team through.
No goalkeeper featured more prominently across the two rankings than Vozinha. The Cabo Verde captain topped the In Possession standings (8.03) while also placing eighth for 'Defending the Goal' (7.33), underlining his influence at both ends of the pitch. Vozinha completed 91 of his 130 passes and recorded 34 completed line breaks in the group stage, consistently helping Cabo Verde play through pressure and launch attacks from deep. When called into action defensively, he also excelled, making nine saves from 11 attempts at goal faced while recording 52 goal preventions as the Blue Sharks conceded just twice during the group stage. Vozinha was instrumental as Bubista’s side kept clean sheets against reigning European champions Spain and Saudi Arabia to secure their historic progress to the Round of 16.
Ranking second in the 'In Possession' standings thanks to his consistent involvement in South Africa's build-up play through the group stage, Ronwen Williams (7.64) completed 102 of his 151 passes, registered 24 completed line breaks and played 16 passes beyond the opposition, highlighting his ability to turn defensive situations into attacking opportunities. The Bafana Bafana captain's influence extended beyond distribution. Williams also made six saves and was repeatedly involved in circulating possession under pressure. His importance to South Africa was again underlined in the Round of 32, when he recorded 92 touches and completed 85 passes against Canada – the most by a goalkeeper in a World Cup match since 1966.
Second in the 'Defending the Goal' rankings behind Gill was Switzerland No1 Gregor Kobel (7.88), who combined assured shot-stopping with calm distribution as the Swiss finished top of Group A. Kobel made 11 saves from 13 attempts at goal faced, recorded 25 goal preventions and completed 93 passes during an unbeaten group stage for Murat Yakin's side. The Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper's performances were built on consistently dealing with direct threats on goal, which was particularly evident in Switzerland's final match against Canada when Kobel produced a series of important late saves to preserve a 2-1 victory and secure top spot in Group B.
Norway's Orjan Nyland (6.99) completed the top three in the 'In Possession' rankings, ahead of Czechia's Matej Kovar (6.97) and Senegal's Edouard Mendy (6.79); in 'Defending the Goal', IR Iran's Alireza Beiranvand (7.68) joined Gill and Kobel in the top three, while Portugal's Diogo Costa (7.59) and Ghana's Benjamin Asare (7.50) also featured highly. Whether showcasing excellence with the ball at their feet or an instinct for shutting down attacks at the vital moment, the rankings underline the depth of goalkeeping quality on show at this World Cup.
Sources: FIFA Official
