World Cup 2026: Tarek Yehia ranks Egypt’s Mostafa Shobeir as tournament’s second-best goalkeeper

Former Egypt international Tarek Yehia has hailed Mostafa Shobeir as the second-best goalkeeper at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, placing the Egyptian shot-stopper just behind Spain’s Unai Simón following the conclusion of the tournament in North America.

Spain claimed their second World Cup title after defeating Argentina in the final, with Unai Simón earning widespread praise for his performances throughout the competition.

Despite Egypt’s exit in the Round of 16, Yehia believes Shobeir produced displays worthy of recognition among the tournament’s elite goalkeepers.

Tarek Yehia praises Shobeir’s World Cup displays

The former Zamalek player shared his assessment during an interview with ON Sport FM, where he ranked the standout goalkeepers of the tournament.

According to Yehia, Spain’s Unai Simón deserved the top spot after helping his country lift the trophy, while Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir earned second place thanks to his performances for the Pharaohs.

He said: “Mostafa Shobeir, the goalkeeper of the Egyptian national team, is the second best goalkeeper in the World Cup after Unai Simon, the goalkeeper of the Spanish national team that won the World Cup title.”

Yehia completed his top five rankings by placing Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha in third position, Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez fourth and Morocco’s Yassine Bounou fifth.

He added: “Vozinha, the Cape Verde goalkeeper, is third, Emiliano Martinez is fourth, and Yassine Bounou is fifth.”

The comments underline Yehia’s belief that Shobeir’s individual performances stood out despite Egypt’s inability to progress beyond the knockout stages.

Egypt’s World Cup campaign ends in Round of 16

Egypt’s journey at the 2026 World Cup came to an end after a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16.

Before that elimination, the Pharaohs had navigated a competitive group-stage campaign.

They opened with a 1-1 draw against Belgium before recording another 1-1 draw with Iran. Egypt then secured qualification for the knockout rounds with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand.

Their Round of 32 encounter against Australia proved equally dramatic.

After the match finished 1-1 following extra time, Egypt held their nerve in the penalty shootout to claim a 4-2 victory and book a place in the last 16.

Although their tournament ended against Argentina, Shobeir’s displays throughout the competition attracted praise, culminating in Yehia’s assessment that the goalkeeper ranked among the world’s best performers during the World Cup.

Recognition despite early exit

Yehia’s ranking reflects the belief that individual excellence can still emerge even when a team falls short of its ultimate objective.

While Spain celebrated World Cup glory behind the performances of Unai Simón, Yehia argued that Shobeir’s consistency and contributions for Egypt deserved similar recognition on the global stage.

His selection also highlighted the performances of goalkeepers from Africa, with Cape Verde’s Vozinha and Morocco’s Yassine Bounou both making his top five list alongside two of world football’s most established names.

For Egypt, the Round of 16 exit marked the end of an encouraging campaign that featured resilient displays in the group stage and a penalty shootout triumph over Australia before the narrow defeat to Argentina.