Who will win the Golden Glove Award

SAO PAOLO, BRAZIL: Statistics show best goalkeepers have exited tournament

Four goalkeepers Julio Cesar (Brazil), Jasper Cillessen (The Netherlands), Manuel Neuer (Germany) and Sergio Romero (Argentina) helped their respective nations to the last four of the Fifa World Cup.

Does it mean they are the best at this Brazil 2014 Fifa World Cup? What of Tim Krul of The Netherlands who cruelly eliminated Costa Rica by saving two of their penalties?

This 2014 edition of the Fifa World Cup will be remembered for many goals scored yet there splendid performances of goalkeepers.

Brazil's Julio Cesar soaked in 7 goals from the Germans in their semi final defeat and this could have effectively knocked him out of the reckoning if ever he stood a chance.

Costa Rica's Keylor Navas, Tim Howard (USA), Rais M'Bolhi (Algeria), Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria) and Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa all made heart-stopping saves but have since exited the tournament.

Manuel Neuer (16 saves), Sergio Romero (15 saves), Jasper Cillessen (11 saves) and Julio Cesar (7 saves in open play) have chances to improve on their rating.

Since the knockout rounds began the focus has shifted firmly to goalkeepers especially when it comes to shootouts.

Brazil's Julio Cesar is not at his best except for when he rose to the occasion to shut out Chile in Belo Horizonte.

In what was seen as psychological ploy by Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal, Tim Krul who had played zero minutes came of the bench at the quarterfinal stage and saved Michael Umana and Bryan Ruiz's penalties.

Until that point, Costa Rica's Keylor Navas was firmly on course to being the star of the tournament standing between the sticks.

Spain's Iker Casillas won the World Cup and the Golden Glove Award in South Africa four years ago. The Real Madrid man was clearly outstanding.

But in this edition in Brazil, it will be a close call and Fifa may be forced to cast their net wider to include departed goalkeepers.

If that happens, it will bring back Navas in the picture alongside such custodians as Howard, Enyeama and Diego Benaglio (Switzerland).