The Three-Time Curse: Ranking Kepa's EFL Cup Final Disasters

Kepa Arrizabalaga has managed the rather unwanted feat of losing three EFL Cup finals across his English football career—and not a single appearance has come without memorable mishap attached to it.

The Spanish goalkeeper was handed the gloves for Arsenal's 2026 final showdown with Manchester City, preferred ahead of the club's regular stopper David Raya. It proved another defeat on cup football's grandest stage, adding to previous losses during his time at Chelsea in 2019 and 2022.

All three defeats have etched themselves into memory for entirely the wrong reasons. But which represents the lowest point? We've assessed the trio from least to most disastrous.

Third: 2019 Chelsea Final

The defining moment came not from a goal conceded, but from an act of defiance. Deep into extra time, Kepa refused to accept his manager Maurizio Sarri's instruction to leave the pitch, convinced he could continue despite what his boss perceived as cramp issues.

The goalkeeper held his ground. Chelsea proceeded to lose the penalty shootout to City, 4-3, though Kepa did manage to deny Leroy Sane from the spot—a rare bright spot. Over the full 120 minutes, he kept City at bay without conceding, a respectable showing in isolation.

Yet the image that endured was Kepa's insubordination. This was his debut season in English football following his world-record transfer from Athletic Bilbao, and the incident only amplified doubts about whether his price tag could ever be justified. In hindsight, those concerns proved prescient.

Second: 2026 Arsenal Final

Arsenal arrived as Premier League leaders, eager to reassert their credentials against their nearest rivals. Kepa's afternoon proved problematic from the opening goal.

He flapped unconvincingly at a cross from Rayan Cherki, allowing the ball to drop invitingly for Nico O'Reilly to finish from close quarters. That moment handed City the early advantage their championship-winning mentality would never surrender.

The Spaniard also had fortune to thank for remaining on the pitch after receiving only a yellow card for grappling with Jeremy Doku following an ill-advised venture from his goal line. The angle of his challenge just saved him from denying a clear goalscoring opportunity—a red card offence that would have compounded Arsenal's afternoon.

First: 2022 Chelsea Final

This stands as the nadir. Kepa arrived from the bench specifically for the penalty shootout against Liverpool—a specialist brought on for specialist duties. He proceeded to fail spectacularly at both ends.

The goalkeeper conceded all 11 penalties he faced. Then, when Chelsea's moment arrived to score their decisive kick, Kepa blasted the ball high over the bar. It was a masterclass in how not to execute a straightforward task.

By this point, Kepa had already been displaced by Edouard Mendy's arrival at Chelsea. His penalty shootout performance did nothing to rehabilitate his standing. While it remains somewhat unfair to judge a goalkeeper solely on spot-kick heroics, his showing that evening hardly strengthened any case for a return to regular action.

Remarkably, he did manage to claw back significant playing time in the following season, though it ultimately proved his final campaign as a Chelsea regular.