Alisson Becker played an important role in Brazil’s run to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final. As Brazil’s starting goalkeeper, Alisson was a reliable presence in between the posts and made several decisive saves throughout the tournament. At the beginning of the 2018 World Cup, Alisson was already considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, having just joined Liverpool from AS Roma. He was Brazil’s undisputed starter and played every minute of the tournament. He was also the team’s first line of defense and was often praised for his ability to stay calm under pressure in important situations. In Brazil’s group stage opener against Switzerland, Alisson showed off his shot-stopping abilities with a diving save to deny Xherdan Shaqiri a goal in the second half. The save kept Brazil in the game and allowed them to go on and win 1-
1. He was also instrumental in Brazil’s win over Costa Rica, making a crucial save late in the game to preserve the crucial three points. In the knockout stages, Alisson’s performance was even more impressive. In the round of 16, he made a stunning save from close range to deny Neymar a goal in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Mexico. In the quarterfinals, he made two crucial saves late in the game to help Brazil advance to the semifinals with a 2-1 win over Belgium. Alisson was just as impressive in the semifinal and final. He made two more crucial saves in the semifinal against Belgium and kept a clean sheet in the final against France. Ultimately, Brazil lost the final 1-0, but Alisson’s performance throughout the tournament was admirable. Alisson Becker was an important part of Brazil’s run to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final and his performance throughout the tournament was a testament to his skill and composure. He was a reliable presence in between the posts and made several decisive saves which allowed Brazil to progress further in the tournament. Alisson is a deserving recipient of praise for his performances and will no doubt be remembered as an integral part of Brazil’s near miss in 2018.
