Has a goalkeeper ever scored at the World Cup?

Jose Luis Chilavert in action for Paraguay against France at the 1998 World Cup. — Neuer has quit international football for the second time (Image credit: Getty Images)

A goalkeeper has never scored at the FIFA World Cup.

Yes, you've seen everything over the years at this tournament – from shocks, scandals and everything in between – but never before has a glovesman put the ball in the back of the net.

Some have come close, however…

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No, a goalkeeper has never scored at the World Cup… yet

A goalkeeper has never scored at the World Cup – though the utterly bonkers Jose Luis Chilavert probably came the closest, as free-kick taker for Paraguay during his time as his nation's no.1.

In fact, no goalkeeper has ever so much as taken a penalty in a shootout either, let alone scored one: you may have vague recollections of Ricardo burying England with a spot-kick after taking off his gloves for Portugal (power move, eh), but that was in Euro 2004, and not a World Cup.

Ricardo, Portugal, Euro 2004 — Ricardo: absolute baller (Image credit: PA Images)

Plenty of goalkeepers have earned a spot on the scoresheet for the wrong reasons, with Yann Sommer and Noel Valladares two high-profile examples of keepers netting own goals in recent tournaments, while a few custodians (Chilavert included) have scored in qualification.

Interestingly, an outfield player has never gone in goal in a men's World Cup, either.

The only time that it has ever happened in World Cup football was in 1995, when one of the greatest players of all time, Mia Hamm, put on a pair of gloves to finish a match in goal as an emergency when Briana Scurry was red-carded for the USWNT.

And on the subject of things that have never or barely ever happened in World Cup football, only once has the ball ever gone into the net directly from a corner.

The phenomenon – which Douglas Luiz has been known for – is known as an Olympic goal, and despite nearly 3,000 goals being scored in World Cup football, only one was scored straight from a corner, in 1962 by Colombian Marcos Coll.

Douglas Luiz of Nottingham Forest warms up — Only once has an Olympico been scored at the World Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)

There are other records of “nevers” and plenty of records held by just one player at World Cup football.

Never has a foreign manager coached another nation's team to the trophy; likewise, only one player has won three World Cup titles (Pele).

Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.