Best Defensive Units in World Cup History: Teams with Most Clean Sheets Ranked

Spain's 2010 team is often remembered for its elegant passing and possession-based tiki-taka football, but beneath that beauty lay a defensive structure that defined their success. Vicente del Bosque's side conceded just two goals in seven matches, keeping five clean sheets, including four in a row in the knockout stages. Every win from the round of 16 to the final ended 1-0, a testament to their tactical precision and mental composure under pressure.

Spearheaded by Iker Casillas, whose reflex saves against Paraguay and the Netherlands were tournament-defining, Spain's defence relied on perfect positioning rather than physical strength. With a defensive god in Carles Puyol, combined with the energy and timing of Sergio Ramos, they created a defensive line that suffocated opponents. Even elite offenses, such as Germany's high-performance offense, could not penetrate. Spain's 1-0 victory in the semifinals came on the strength of Puyol's magnificent header after neutralizing every German counterattack. And let's not forget that Germany had beaten England 4-1 and Argentina 4-0 in the previous stages, so they were no ordinary team.

This defensive dominance allowed Spain's short-passing style to flourish safely. Their five-match clean sheet remains one of the best defensive records in World Cup history.

Italy's 2006 squad embodied the art of defensive perfection and the spirit of classic catenaccio when it mattered most. Under Marcello Lippi, the Azzurri conceded just two goals in seven matches, an own goal and a penalty, and recorded four clean sheets, including the semi-final against Germany. A team forged where the steel-clad defence was invented.

At the heart of this dreamlike tale was Fabio Cannavaro, whose performances at the tournament earned him the 2006 Ballon d'Or, a rare achievement for a defender. Alongside Gianluigi Buffon, who made crucial saves, including a fingertip save on Zidane's header in the final, and Gianluca Zambrotta, whose versatility shone on both flanks, Italy's defensive line became almost impenetrable.

Their defensive consistency allowed Italy to overcome powers like Germany in extra time (2-0) and beat France in a dramatic penalty shootout in Berlin. The team's tactical maturity was not limited to stopping goals. Italy was something special. If we look at the squad, we cannot say anything about any player who was not top 20 that year. Italy had also come after a huge domestic scandal.

Many would say that Argentina won the 2022 World Cup solely because of Messi, but that's not the case, and we're going to prove it. After a shocking 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening match, Lionel Scaloni's side have strengthened, conceding just three goals in their next six matches and keeping three clean sheets on their way to lifting the trophy. The defensive line, anchored by Nicolás Otamendi and Cristian Romero, has become one of the most tightly knit defensive units of the tournament.

In the knockout stages, Argentina's organization under pressure has stood out. They beat Croatia 3-0 in the semi-final, completely neutralizing Luka Modrić's influence, and they held firm in tense moments against the Netherlands and France. It was goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez who was classed as the one who managed to hold his own against his opponents, especially with that save from Kolo Muani in the dying minutes of the final against France.

This defensive backbone allowed Messi to become a world champion.

Yes, this inclusion may come as a surprise to many, but those are the numbers, and they don’t lie.
Led by veterans Thiago Silva and Alisson Becker, the Seleção kept three clean sheets and conceded just two goals, both of which came in crucial moments.

Thiago Silva, at 38, was the central defensive general, reading the game with impeccable timing and guiding younger teammates like Éder Militão and Marquinhos. Behind him, Alisson made crucial saves, including key saves against Switzerland and South Korea.

Brazil didn’t concede a goal until the final game of the group stage, and their 4-1 win over South Korea in the round of 16 showed both their offensive prowess and defensive reliability. Although their campaign ended in dramatic fashion on penalties against Croatia, Brazil’s defensive line remained one of the best in the tournament. However, there was a bitter taste. When we think of Brazil 2022, we don't think of a performance, but of disappointment.