World Cup glory is usually measured in terms of goals scored, but the goalkeepers often step up to be the heroes too.

What are the 10 best saves in World Cup history?

GIVEMESPORT takes a look.

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10 | Oliver Kahn vs USA | 2002 

Linking brilliantly with Brian McBride, and cutting in from the right before nutmegging Dietmar Hamann, Landon Donovan is in full stride as he approaches the edge of the Germany penalty area in the 2002 quarter-finals, as the USA attempt to force the pace of the game in the early exchanges of the first half, in Ulsan. Sending his beautifully struck effort low and on target to nestle just inside Oliver Kahn’s right-hand post, the German goalkeeper and captain instead tips the ball narrowly wide. It is the first and best of a string of excellent saves that frustrate the talented underdogs.  

9 | Guillermo Ochoa vs Brazil | 2014 

When Brazil went up against Mexico in the group stages of the 2014 World Cup in Fortaleza, Guillermo Ochoa enjoyed the game of his life, as the Mexico goalkeeper stopped everything that was thrown at him in earning his team a precious goalless draw, inclusive of clawing away a towering first half header by Neymar that looked set to beat him at his right-hand post. Flinging himself across goal, Ochoa somehow kept the ball out of his net, with goalline technology showing just how close Neymar had come to scoring. He also made a magnificent late point-blank save from Thiago Silva.   

8 | Iker Casillas vs Netherlands | 2010 

With the deadlock still to be broken, just beyond the hour mark in the 2010 World Cup final, the Netherlands’ Arjen Robben broke free of the Spanish defence to run in on goal for a one-on-one with Spain’s Iker Casillas. As the Real Madrid goalkeeper stood tall for as long as possible it handed Robben a little too much thinking time. As Casillas began to drop to his left, Robben went to his right, only to see the Spanish captain throw out his right foot to divert the ball wide of the post. A crucial save, Spain went on to prevail in Johannesburg during an increasingly ill-tempered game.  

7 | Rinat Dasayev vs Scotland | 1982 

A crucial group game in Málaga between the Soviet Union and Scotland, with a place in the second round up for grabs. Jock Stein had recalled Joe Jordan to his forward line, and he almost opened the scoring in the early minutes with a deft header, when getting onto the end of a tempting cross from the right by the brilliant John Robertson. Directing his effort down and towards Rinat Dasayev’s near post, a goal looked certain, until the Spartak Moscow goalkeeper dived to his left to paw the ball away for a corner. The Soviets went on to gain the point they needed to progress.  

6 | Gianluigi Buffon vs Germany | 2006 

An absorbing, yet still goalless 2006 semi-final, as the ball dropped to Lukas Podolski toward the left-hand side of the penalty area the host nation could almost taste a place in the final. Gianluigi Buffon had other ideas, however, as he pushed the incoming effort up and over the crossbar. Obscured from view of Podolski by Fabio Cannavaro, Buffon had expected a lower shot to come at him, and with the added power whipped through the ball the Italy shot-stopper had little time to adjust, springing up instinctively to make the save. Buffon and his teammates went on to lift the World Cup.  

5 | Ubaldo Fillol vs Netherlands | 1978 

In the 1978 World Cup final, with the scoreline still goalless, as his two central defenders made a mess of their attempts to clear a cross from the right when they both went to meet it, the ball dropped invitingly to the magnificent Johnny Rep, who caught it perhaps a little too well. Essentially falling into Rep’s lap, the ball was a little too close for comfort if anything, yet he still produced an excellent snapshot that needed a wonderful reactionary save from Fillol, who pushed the goalbound effort up and over the crossbar. Argentina went on to win the game, 3-1.  

4 | Noel Valladares vs Chile | 2010 

As Matías Fernández swung over a free kick from the Chilian left it evaded everyone until Arturo Vidal – positioned beyond the back post – headed the ball back across the Honduran six-yard-box. Unmarked and just left of the centre of goal, Waldo Ponce elected to stoop with his head to complete the formalities of converting Chile’s second goal of the game. However, he hadn’t considered Noel Valladares’ determination to deny him, as the Honduras goalkeeper swatted away the ball from point-blank range, even finding the time to block the rebound from Gary Medel.   

3 | Toni Turek vs Hungary | 1954 

Pre-match, the expected outcome of the 1954 World Cup final had been a resounding Hungarian success. A stunning deluge on the morning of the game levelled the playing field, however. The Mighty Magyars had beaten West Germany 8-3 during the group stages, yet despite Hungary flying into a 2-0 lead within eight minutes, the underdogs were on level terms ten minutes later. West Germany’s stunning success turned on a marvellous 24^th minute save from Toni Turek, who denied Nándor Hidegkuti, after he caught a volley beautifully from seven yards, only to see the West German goalkeeper tip it over the crossbar.   

2 | Dino Zoff vs Brazil | 1982 

When Italy faced Brazil in the second-round group stage of the 1982 World Cup, at the Estadi de Sarrià in Barcelona, the game became an automatic classic that repeatedly swung one way and then the other. Paolo Rossi hit a hat-trick for Gli Azzurri, but it was Dino Zoff who won his nation their place in the semi-finals. With the scoreline at 3-2 to Italy and the clock ticking, an equaliser would have been enough to take Brazil through instead. As Oscar threw himself at a back post header with just seconds remaining both sides held their breath, with Zoff dropping to his goal line to smother the ball. Brazil’s players celebrated a goal that never was, and Telê Santana’s iconic team were heading home at the final whistle. Italy, meanwhile, went on to lift the trophy.    

1 | Gordon Banks vs Brazil | 1970 

A clash of the titans, this was a game that was played out between the two nations responsible for winning the three previous World Cups, and it was an event that demanded a collection of iconic moments. It was 90 minutes of football that delivered in spades, as Bobby Moore put on a masterclass of defending for England, while Pelé led the Brazilian attacking charge, in what many observers believed to be a dress rehearsal for the final itself. Alf Ramsey’s side had dictated the opening exchanges of the game, but Brazil burst into life as Jairzinho brushed Terry Cooper aside to reach the byline, from where he sent in a wonderful cross that Pelé met with his head. As the ball bounced up, Gordon Banks produced the impossible, sending it up and over the crossbar from ground level.   

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