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Inside the mind of the underdog World Cup goalkeeper: ‘Suddenly you feel invincible’

Eloy Room holds up his hands in goalkeeper gloves to the camera

Curacao's Eloy Room has become one of the World Cup's unlikely stars Maddie Meyer/FIFA via Getty Images

By Matt PyzdrowskiJune 25, 2026 12:12 am EDT Updated

“It’s a World Cup of goalkeepers.”

When Thibaut Courtois offered that assessment of Iran’s Alireza Beiranvand after Belgium’s 0-0 draw on Sunday, he may have captured one of the defining themes of the 2026 World Cup.

“He’s a good goalie and today he proved it again,” he added. “It will happen sometimes, they even play better, it’s a World Cup. One save, second save, and suddenly they feel invincible.”

It was a revealing quote, not only because it came from one of the world’s best goalkeepers, but because it touched on something every goalkeeper understands. Courtois was not simply praising Beiranvand’s technique — he was also describing a psychological phenomenon that can occur when confidence, momentum and circumstance collide.

It is also not the first time Beiranvand has found himself at the centre of a World Cup story. He produced one of the 2018 tournament’s most memorable moments when he denied Cristiano Ronaldo from the penalty spot during a 1-1 draw with Portugal. Eight years later, he has once again reminded the football world of his quality on the biggest stage.

He is far from alone.

Curacao’s Eloy Room became one of the stories of the group stage with his remarkable 15-save display against Ecuador, while Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha earned global recognition after helping shut out Spain.

Vozinha kept Cape Verde in the game against Spain (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

World Cups have always had a unique ability to elevate goalkeepers into football folklore. A good performance can suddenly feel extraordinary because of the stage, and the fact that hundreds of millions of people are witnessing it simultaneously.

Yet the occasion itself should not distract from the quality of what we have seen.

Room’s performance against Ecuador would have been exceptional in any competition. The concentration required to repeatedly solve problems for 90 minutes against a superior opponent is difficult to overstate. Similarly, Vozinha’s clean sheet against Spain demanded far more than athleticism. Positioning, anticipation, aerial command, communication and emotional control were also much in evidence. Beiranvand’s display against Belgium combined many of those same qualities. None of them simply got lucky.

What changes at the World Cup is the meaning attached to those performances because while football remembers moments, it really remembers moments on the biggest stages.

That is why Tim Howard’s performance against Belgium at the 2014 World Cup remains so iconic more than a decade later. The United States ultimately lost 2-1 after extra time, but ask any American supporter to identify the greatest goalkeeping performance their national team has seen and that will be the answer.

The same principle exists throughout sport. We place greater value on play-off performances than those in the regular season. We remember Champions League nights longer than league victories in October. We celebrate athletes who deliver when the pressure is highest because those moments reveal something unique about their ability and psychology.

The World Cup sits above almost all of those occasions, a tournament that can change careers overnight. For goalkeepers representing smaller nations, that effect is even more pronounced.

One of the most fascinating aspects of international football is the psychology of the underdog. While elite nations often carry the burden of expectation, smaller nations frequently arrive with a completely different mindset. In many cases, simply qualifying has already made them national heroes.

That reality can be incredibly liberating. Instead of focusing on the consequences of failure, your attention shifts toward opportunity, to show the world what you can do.

As a goalkeeper, that mentality can be a powerful weapon.

Room’s tournament provides a perfect example. In Curacao’s opening match against Germany, he conceded seven goals. For many goalkeepers, that would have left psychological scars. Yet a week later he responded with one of the performances of the tournament against Ecuador.

From a goalkeeper’s perspective, that reaction is easier to understand than many people might think.

When you lose heavily to a team like Germany, there is a certain acceptance that comes with the result. Yes, the experience hurts, but you can also contextualise what happened.

Cape Verde experienced something similar against Spain. Entering a match as overwhelming underdogs creates a unique competitive environment. All the pressure sits with the favourite. They are expected to dominate possession, to create chances and, most of all, win. So when the underdogs’ goalkeeper makes a series of saves, suddenly the momentum begins to swing.

This is where Courtois’ observation becomes particularly interesting because every goalkeeper understands exactly what he meant when he spoke about suddenly feeling invincible.

Thibaut Courtois was also in fine form for Belgium against Iran (Patrick T Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

The feeling rarely appears before kickoff. It develops gradually: each successful intervention confirms that your positioning is sharp, your decision-making is clear and your reactions are functioning exactly as they should.

A save confirms your handling. An aerial claim confirms your timing. A successful sweep confirms your reading of the game. And a difficult save reinforces everything.

As those moments accumulate, something begins to change psychologically. The game starts to slow down. Movements become instinctive. You stop thinking about technique and simply execute it. Sports psychologists often describe this as entering a ‘flow state’. Goalkeepers tend to describe it differently. They say they are seeing everything.

Eventually the confidence becomes visible.

You stand a little taller, you communicate more aggressively and you attack crosses more decisively. Even your body language changes.

Perhaps most importantly, the opposition starts to notice. Attackers become frustrated. Chances that would normally result in goals somehow stay out. The goalkeeper begins to occupy more space in their minds with every save. Eventually, a dangerous thought enters their heads.

‘Maybe this just isn’t our day?’

That is often when a goalkeeper has truly entered the zone.

I experienced something similar early in my own career while playing for Angelholms in Sweden’s second division. We faced top-flight side Hammarby away in Stockholm during the Swedish Cup group stage and, quite frankly, had no business winning. Their resources were greater, their squad was stronger and most people expected them to win comfortably.

But that was precisely what made the occasion enjoyable.

Looking back, I can still remember how different my preparation felt that week. Training sessions felt relaxed. Confidence came naturally. I slept well. My warm-up flowed smoothly. There was excitement, but very little anxiety.

Then the game started.

I made an early save. Then another. As the match continued, my confidence grew with every intervention. I still remember hearing the collective gasp from the crowd after one particularly difficult save and realising how much energy it gave me. Thousands of supporters had come hoping to celebrate goals. My job was to disappoint every one of them.

For a goalkeeper, there are few feelings better than denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. It is probably the closest thing we experience to scoring a goal ourselves.

As the match progressed, I found myself completely immersed in the game. There were moments where I made saves and almost laughed afterward because I could not quite understand how the ball had stayed out of the net. We eventually drew 0-0 despite being thoroughly outplayed. Hammarby finished with 12 shots on target; I made 12 saves.

I remember speaking to my centre-back afterwards and admitting that I felt emotional. A few moments later, I actually started crying as we walked toward the dressing room. It felt like one of those rare days where every aspect of my performance had aligned perfectly. For 90 minutes, I felt completely in control.

When I watched Room become emotional following his performance against Ecuador, I immediately understood why.

Those moments stay with you forever.

Now imagine experiencing that feeling not in a domestic cup match, but at a World Cup while representing your country, in a game that might become one of the defining moments of your career.

That is also why goalkeepers from smaller nations often seem capable of producing these memorable performances. Beyond the psychological freedom they enjoy, they frequently receive more opportunities to influence matches. Goalkeepers on underdog teams face more shots, more crosses and more dangerous situations. While that creates greater pressure, it also creates rhythm, which is incredibly important in goalkeeping.

The reality is that many goalkeepers enjoy being busy. It keeps you mentally engaged and connected to the game. It allows confidence to build naturally through repetition. Compare that to the challenge faced by goalkeepers at dominant clubs, where they may spend long stretches uninvolved before suddenly being asked to make a match-defining save.

Alireza Beiranvand was superb against Belgium (Patrick T Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

That requires a completely different skill set.

The very best goalkeepers can thrive in either environment, but there is no question that some are more comfortable as underdogs. Throughout my own career, I often found myself in that category. I enjoyed being the spoiler.

The pressures that came with being the No 1 at a larger club were different. Every result carried greater consequences. Expectations from supporters, coaches and the club created a different type of pressure. After poor performances, you knew your position could be under scrutiny.

Some goalkeepers thrive in those circumstances, others thrive when they are chasing giants.

That is part of what makes the World Cup such a fascinating environment for goalkeepers. It creates opportunities for both. But time and again, it is the underdog goalkeeper who captures the imagination of supporters around the world and produces moments that live forever.