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Jordan Pickford Wins Inaugural Microsoft Goalkeeper Performance Of The Season Award

Everton number one picks up second Premier League award of the season.

Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has won the inaugural Microsoft Goalkeeper Performance of the Season award for his Gameweek Two performance against Brighton. The shortlist for the award was defined by Goalkeeper.com xG using its Overall Goalkeeper Value (OGV™) metric, with Pickford voted for by fans and an expert panel as the eventual winner.

Everton's number one stood out with a strong performance, contributing to an overall goalkeeper value score of +1.79.

Congratulations, Jordan!

To learn more about the work of Goalkeeper.com xG, or work with us, email xg@goalkeeper.com.

To learn more about the data behind the award, watch Dr John Harrison talk through the origins of Goalkeeper.com xG data here.

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The Week In Goalkeeping 43: Pickford scoops award, Schmeichel hangs up gloves, and more

The top goalkeeper news stories between May 24th and May 31st 2026.Pickford claims Premier League Save of the SeasonAfter another Premier League season of reflex reactions and superb stops, it was time to crown the Premier League save of the season, which fans were able to vote for. Earlier this week, the result was announced via the Premier League’s official social media platforms. The winner was Jordan Pickford, for his stellar, last-minute denial of Sandro Tonali’s volleyed attempt against Newcastle, cementing all three points for the toffees at St James Park. It was another end of season award for the England international’s collection, as he also won the same award in the 21/22 campaign. Goalkeeper Performance of the Season nominees revealedIn collaboration with Goalkeeper.com xG and Microsoft, the Premier League created a new end of season award to shine more deserved light on the world’s very best goalkeepers. There are six nominees for ‘Goalkeeper Performance of the Season’ award: Robin Roefs vs Crystal Palace (A), Martin Dubravka vs Nottingham Forest (H), Guglielmo Vicario vs Chelsea (H), Robert Sanchez vs Aston Villa (H), Jose Sa vs Nottingham Forest (A), and Jordan Pickford vs Brighton (H). Fans have had the opportunity to vote for their favourite performance this season and the winner will be announced on Monday 1st June. David Raya’s heroics not enough as PSG scoop another trophy On Sunday, Arsenal faced Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. Arsenal were aiming to win their first ever Champions League after securing the Premier League title. As for PSG, they were looking to join an executive list of teams to win the competition back-to-back. The Gunners took an early lead through Kai Havertz, forcing PSG with no other option but to attack. And, depsite Arsenal leading the game for much of the ninety, Ousmane Dembele delivered from the penalty spot to equalise for PSG - a moment which would ultimately take the game all the way to a shootout. INCREDIBLE GOALKEEPING 👏David Raya keeping Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final 🧤📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/6KietsFzDO— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 30, 2026 David Raya managed to deny Nuno Mendes, however his actions weren’t enough to win the final as both Eberechi Eze and Gabriel missed the target, gifting the Parisians the trophy.Kasper Schmeichel retires from footballAfter 698 professional appearances at club level, Kasper Schmeichel has retired from football. The goalkeeper who managed to achieve the 5000/1 impossible dream with Leicester City is hanging up the gloves after a stellar career. The epitome of a footballing dream, from Falkirk and Darlington to a Premier League and FA Cup winner with 284 Premier League appearances. In his own words, via FourFourTwo and Henry Winter: 'I have three kids. I have a wife. I've been away and missed a lot. So just getting a chance to spend some time with them. This little period, particularly after the first operation, you're not in the best frame of mind and in pain. But the last few weeks, it’s been nice being home, being able to collect them from school. Being there on birthdays — I've missed so many birthdays. But I also think it's important to teach kids that if you want to reach your dreams, there are sacrifices, there is a cost to everything. I've been lucky enough to live a dream, and football doesn't last forever. There's a long life after playing where I can be there. Football has given me and my family opportunities, experiences and advantages that people could only dream of. If you love something, if you want to be elite, there are going to be some drawbacks. But I don’t see sacrifice.'What a story. Enjoy your retirement, Kasper.Peter and Kasper Schmeichel both won their first Premier League titles at the same age (29) and retired from football at the same age (39) 🤝 pic.twitter.com/6ycMlL5l85— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 27, 2026 Stamford Bridge goalkeeper search continuesXabi Alonso, recently appointed Chelsea manager, is reportedly looking to sign a new goalkeeper. It’s been a constant topic of conversation over the last year when it comes to the Blues, with Filip Jorgensen and Robert Sanchez never  having managed to seriously lock down that starting spot despite sparks of brilliance at times. There are no concrete links on who could sign for the current World Champions, however it seems like there is the strong possibility of a new number one coming through the door this summer. The instillation of Mike Penders as number one has also been touted. 

Goalkeeper.com xG collaborating with Premier League and Microsoft on new goalkeeper Award

27th May 2026Goalkeeper.com xG is excited to announce its collaboration with the Premier League and Microsoft on the new ‘Goalkeeper Performance of the Season’ award.The shortlist for the new award has been defined by Goalkeeper.com xG’s ‘Overall Goalkeeper Value’ metric, known as ‘OGV™’. Nominees have today (27th May 2026) been released: Jordan Pickford vs Brighton and Hove Albion - Gameweek 2Robin Roefs vs Crystal Palace - Gameweek 4Martin Dubravka vs Nottingham Forest - Gameweek 5Guglielmo Vicario vs Chelsea - Gameweek 10Robert Sanchez vs Aston Villa - Gameweek 18José Sá vs Nottingham Forest - Gameweek 26OGV™ is a proprietary metric powered by Microsoft’s cloud and AI technologies including Azure, Fabric, and Foundry. It takes into account every action a goalkeeper makes, or could make, and finds how each individual action affected the probability of a goal occurring for and against their team. It analyses how many goals a goalkeeper was worth to their team per action, per game, and over the course of a season. This proprietary goalkeeper metric is powered by Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Fabric, and Microsoft Foundry.Based on the OGV™-defined top six shortlist, fans worldwide have the chance to vote for the eventual winner via the Premier League website here.This collaboration epitomises the Premier League and Microsoft’s innovative approach to bringing fans the most cutting edge insights available in football today. About Goalkeeper.com xGDr John Harrison talks through how the data behind the new Premier League and Microsoft Goalkeeper Performance Of The Season Award was formed.From Cambridge University to a collaboration with the Premier League, watch the full video here:https://t.co/3X2T2kxjiy… pic.twitter.com/sgYCVxOR5n— Goalkeeper.com (@goalkeepercom) May 29, 2026 Goalkeeper.com xG, provides advanced goalkeeper data to elite clubs, national federations, leagues, and broadcasters to enhance goalkeeper analysis and recruitment. This work is underpinned by proprietary models developed by Dr John Harrison.Built on Microsoft Azure, Goalkeeper.com xG data is securely hosted, aggregated, and analysed at scale, bringing together thousands of in-game events and advanced goalkeeper metrics from across the season. Using Microsoft Fabric and Microsoft Foundry, this data is transformed into deeper, more contextual insights that go beyond traditional stats, creating a robust, data-driven foundation to determine the six standout performances that make up this season’s award shortlist. For Goalkeeper.com, this collaboration with the Premier League and Microsoft represents the next step in enhancing education and coverage of the goalkeeper position. We are proud to be able to do this alongside such forward-thinking organisations who understand the value of bringing deeper goalkeeper insights to football and fans. On the collaboration, Dr John Harrison, Head of Data Science at Goalkeeper.com xG, said “We are delighted to be collaborating with the Premier League and Microsoft on the new Goalkeeper Performance of the Season Award. “After five years of scientific development and work with clubs, broadcasters, and national organisations, this collaboration marks a new era in how goalkeeper performance is evaluated at the very highest level. “We are grateful to the Premier League and Microsoft for bringing our advanced goalkeeper statistics to millions of fans worldwide.’ You can vote for the winner here. The eventual award winner will be announced on 1st June.To learn more about Goalkeeper.com xG’s data science, and how we can help your club or organisation, email xg@goalkeeper.com.

The Week in Goalkeeping 42: Another medal for Martinez, Play-Off heartbreak, World Cup goalkeepers announced, and more

The top goalkeeper news stories from 17th May - 24th May 2026World Cup Winner adds another trophy to his collectionLast Wednesday, Aston Villa travelled to Istanbul for their Europa League final vs Freiburg. Villa were endeavouring to end a long trophy drought against the German side. Unai Emery’s side ultimately dominated the final as they won 3-0, and it was a night to remember for Emiliano Martinez as he added another trophy to his impressive collection. Moments of the month: when Emi Martínez became a Europa League winner 🥹🏆 pic.twitter.com/1ZGYeCWI0d— Goalkeeper.com (@goalkeepercom) May 24, 2026 Before the COVID-19 lockdown, Martinez had been struggling for gametime but only six years later, he has bagged himself a World Cup, two Copa Americas, a Europa League, and two Yashin awards, amongst other honours.. What a fantastic five years for Dibu. Hull make it to the promise land after costly errorOn Saturday, Hull faced Middlesbrough at Wembley with the possibility of returning to the Premier League after 10 years. The Play-Off Final was already a point of great controversy following Southampton's expulsion, and the game didn't look like it would be befitting of the drama of the days leading up to it. The tie was sizzling out in the dying embers as the scoreline read 0-0 with clock ticking towards extra time. "Oli McBurnie, he's got the EYE OF THE TIGER!" 🐯🔥 pic.twitter.com/mbu5sxtTVc— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 23, 2026 But, in the 95th minute, Hull were on the attack and a ball, which flew towards Boro goalkeeper Sol Brynn, was flapped at at the mercy of striker Oli McBurnie who pounced and buried the ball into the back of the net. It was an unfortunate error for Brynn with the goal condemning Middlesbrough to another season of Championship football.Teammate Aiden Morris said 'Sol makes that catch nine times out of ten. You go down the other end and we could have scored more goals, or we could have done something to stop the cross. There’s tonnes of things.'Which goalkeepers have made the England World Cup squad?On Friday, Thomas Tuchel announced his England squad for the World Cup. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the outfield omissions, but we were more focused on the three choices between the sticks. Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson and James Trafford were the three names selected to represent their country in the States - hardly a surprise. Do you think England have one of the world's best goalkeeper departments? Liverpool goalkeeper rumours continue to swirlSunday marked the official end to Andy Robertson and Mohammed Salah’s Liverpool careers, playing their final game at Anfield. However, another departure rumour that continues to swirl is that of Alisson. Juventus are reportedly planning to swoop in for the signature of the Brazilian, who was called up for his nation’s World Cup squad last week. Will Alisson stay at Merseyside for another season, or will he make a return to Italy?Kinsky continues redemption arc as Spurs survive Tottenham Hotspur's final day victory over Everton meant that the North London club had secured another season of Premier League football. One man who has been integral to their survival in the last few games of the campaign in young Antonin Kinsky. Since the well-documented Atletico Madrid debacle, Kinsky has been in solid form, and pulled off another great save on Sunday to maintain the lead. What a save from Kinsky in a crucial game against Everton 😮‍💨🧤 pic.twitter.com/cFAM19gmWQ— Goalkeeper.com (@goalkeepercom) May 24, 2026

Debate: Will The Removal Of Goalkeepers From Under 7s Football Really Be 'Catastrophic?'

New FA Rules are expunging keepers in favour of technical growth in the first stage of organised youth football.Goalkeeping, like life, is not always a linear pathway. It is such a highly specialised position with a skillset that requires a commitment to isolation in mindset and presence. Some are born to be in nets. Others find out by chance that the different coloured jersey was meant for them. “Amazing to see how much the goalkeeper union has grown over the last few years, record numbers across academies, grassroots and youth pathways are choosing to be goalkeepers in all corners of the globe. Goalkeeping is cool,” Mary Earps posted on her socials last year.  She’s right, but when should a budding goalkeeper first enter the ’cool’ box? The jury remains somewhat out on that, after the Football Association recently announced that goalkeepers would be removed from the earliest stage of organised football next summer.From the beginning of the 2026-27 season, children in the under-7 bracket will adopt a new three-a-side format with smaller pitches and no goalie. All six players are 'active, engaged, outfield players’ where each child has the opportunity to ‘grow their skills and join the attack and defence.’No keepers in U-7s football will be 'catastrophic' https://t.co/ee7f66fEoG— BBC Essex (@BBCEssex) April 13, 2026 According to the FA, the plan is to give everyone more touches of the ball. But it is a decision that has caused some waves in goalkeeping circles. “If a child naturally gravitates toward being a goalkeeper, it’s worth asking why we would take that opportunity away from them,” suggests Rangers’ current Head of Academy Goalkeeping Conor Brennan.“The intention behind rotating positions is understandable, giving players more touches and broader experiences. However, in doing so, we risk losing valuable time in developing the unique psychological attributes required for goalkeeping”, Brennan insists.There is an argument that rotation prevents early typecasting. Youngsters can explore different positions before finding their niche. There are numerous anecdotal stories of an outfielder becoming the accidental goalkeeper in their teens.  One of the true greats, Lev Yashin, once said: 'I wanted to be a forward – I was always dreaming about hitting goals – but gradually I got moved back and back until I became a goalkeeper.' Not a bad career move for a Ballon d’Or winner. A year that was technically lost in development can be alternatively framed as 12 months spent in understanding the game from a different perspective“To assume that you can only build a goalkeeper from seven, or influence a goalkeeper from that age is pretty wild,” claims Dan Tumelty-Bevan, Head of Academy Goalkeeping at Birmingham. “To get seven-year-olds into environments where there’s more capacity to enhance skill movement and development is a positive. I think refining that as you go through the ages will give more opportunity for athletes to be goalkeepers.”Gianluigi Donnarumma began in ‘the gate’ at the age of five, playing around with his elder brother and uncle. 'I was never afraid. Maybe that's why I chose goalkeeping,' he has mused. That's exactly the point that Brennan makes. Being thrown in at the deep end is the way to learn the lone eagle of the game.“Building bravery (such as the willingness to put their body in the way of the ball), experiencing the emotional highs of saving a penalty, and learning to handle the inevitable highs and lows all come with being the last line of defence.”“These experiences are not dependent on formal coaching; they are developed organically through repetition and exposure. By delaying this process, we may unintentionally hinder the development of these crucial traits.”We are always told that children are resilient. So why not test the theory at the earliest opportunity to make a head start on the rest? Pitching youngsters into the hero and villain goalkeeping cycle is something that can appeal to a certain DNA. Dean Henderson recently told Goalkeeper.com that he loved  “breaking hearts” from the very beginning. There must be something in that.The fear expressed out loud by coaches is that youngsters who are predisposed to the art of goalkeeping might be lost to other sports.Idrees Afzal, PhD, is a human performance scientist, analyst, and conditioning coach who has worked at Bradford City, within county cricket circles, and alongside national badminton Federations. He is certain that there is a bigger positive to multi-skilling across disciplines from a skill acquisition angle. “Could it help support certain coordination patterns and movement patterns because players haven't got gloves on at a young age and they start learning new things? That's one take on it”, he says. “The other take is simply how representative will this change be in terms of what a goalkeeper will need to do”? Afzal also touches on the holistic element of goalkeeping development. “Is having the gloves on a haptic - a perception relating to a sense of touch? Do young players need to feel what it's like to actually be in goal during a game? Will there be that same perception and action of things that are going on in the scenario as opposed to not having goalkeepers in U7s? Those would be the two big elements that stand out for me. “It could potentially help with a goalkeeper’s ‘possession skills’. But if that's going to be the case, then it needs to be facilitated by either a coach or a referee in a certain way to allow those adaptive behaviors to take place. If it's just going to be a goalkeeper with no gloves standing near the net, it might defeat the whole purpose.”Afzal speaks a lot about ecological dynamics in relation to the question at hand. The theory emphasises that movement and decision-making emerge from the continuous, dynamic interaction between the individual, the environment, and the task.Image Credit: Fabian Otte LinkedIn“Gaining a variety of physical components in terms of your strength, power, and mobility, is going to be really good for a young person. Having exposure at a young age to different aspects of perception and motor learning with the likes of a golf or tennis ball, for instance, is important.”Brennan isn’t so sure. “Other sports, such as hockey, GAA, futsal, and handball, offer young players the opportunity to specialise as goalkeepers from an earlier age. If a child has a strong desire to play in that role, but feels restricted within football, it is reasonable to question whether they may be drawn toward alternative sports where that identity is encouraged.” On the other hand, Yashin tried the high jump, shot put, discus, took fencing lessons, had a go at boxing, diving, wrestling, skating, basketball, ice hockey and water polo. He didn't even want to be a footballer at one point. There is also simply the question of: does this actually matter, for one year of a child’s football career? Afzal believes so.“It's 12 months. That's a lot of time for the development of a young person's mind. I think it all matters. Any exposure, any experience that young athletes are having is really important”, he opines.In these days of competitive parenting and results matter narratives, it would be easy to make the young goalkeeper feel the weight of that responsibility rather than enjoy it. The 3 v 3 structure is key in imparting technical learning when the young mind is open. There are no official results or tables, ensuring a sense of freedom in a fun environment.Afzal has an interesting thesis on what the authorities are really driving at. “It might be a philosophical mindset. Maybe the FA wants our players to be technically good on the ball. Is that going to develop in a young player’s game if they’ve just got gloves on their hands and they’re just stationary, or just stuck to being in the nets?”Of course, this all could backfire. Children are sure to be watching a magical save during the World Cup and think: “I want to be (insert famous goalkeeper name here) right now.” Is the moment being stolen? The new format is about individual actions and not positions.Tumelty-Bevan insists that the broader view wins the day: “People can be so focused on this idea that everything has to look like a mini version of where it’s going to. It doesn't.” The next generation will tell us something about both sides of this story. Goalkeeping is cool. Maybe hothousing can wait.

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