Courtois reaches second place for clean sheets in World Cup history
Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has recorded his eighth clean sheet in World Cup play, joining a legendary list of shot-stoppers.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Author: Эдгар Брещанов
In the second round of the 2026 World Cup group stage, Belgium and Iran played out a goalless draw. The match was particularly significant for Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who reached a major career milestone.
For the 34-year-old, this was his eighth clean sheet in World Cup tournament history. This achievement moves him into a tie for second place among goalkeepers for the most matches without conceding a goal in the competition.
Courtois now sits alongside a group of iconic figures, including Jan Jongbloed, Emerson Leao, Claudio Taffarel, Sepp Maier, and Hugo Lloris. The all-time record is held by former France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez and England legend Peter Shilton, both of whom have ten clean sheets to their names.
Following two rounds of play, the group standings remain tight. Belgium and Iran are level with two points each, while Egypt leads the group with four points and New Zealand sits at the bottom with one point.