27 February 2006
VIDEO: England training

Watch Paul Robinson during England training as the players try and beat the keeper in a shooting drill before the Uruguay game.

It's official: Paul Robinson is England's best ever World Cup goalkeeper.

How so? Because his ratio of goals conceded per World Cup match is even better than legends like Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton and David Seaman. That's counting both qualifying and finals matches.

Robinson has been beaten just three times in nine qualifiers, giving an average of 0.33 per match. He has kept six clean sheets.

Those matches, starting in September 2004, have ended like this: Poland 2-1, Wales 2-0, Azerbaijan 1-0, Northern Ireland 4-0, Azerbaijan 2-0, Wales 1-0, Northern Ireland 0-1, Austria 1-0 and Poland 2-1.

Yes, Shilton and Seaman played in a lot more World Cup matches - but neither of them can better Robinson's record.

Shilton, whose England career lasted for 20 years, featured in a colossal 37 matches and conceded 16 goals. That's an average of 0.43 and 'Shilts' managed an impressive 25 clean sheets.

Seaman's average was 0.57 after conceding 15 goals in 26 matches.

Banks played in the same number of World Cup matches as Robinson - but they were all in the finals. He made six appearances for the winning team in 1966 and three for the holders in 1970 before illness ruled him out of the quarter final with West Germany.

The great 'Banksie' let in four goals, giving an average of 0.44 per match, and kept six clean sheets.

Not even Pele could beat him - though he had a good try with that bullet of a header in Guadalajara!