Spain’s Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao) won the 2026 Yashin Trophy on Monday 26 October in London. No African goalkeeper has yet lifted the trophy: Cape Verde’s Vozinha, Morocco’s Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal) and Senegal’s Édouard Mendy (Al Ahli) remain off the podium.
Africa is still waiting for its first Yashin Trophy winner. At the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday 26 October, three African goalkeepers were among the ten nominees, but none made the podium. Spain’s Unai Simón, the Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper, was crowned, according to Foot-africa.com.
The ranking puts Cape Verde’s Vozinha at the top of the African contingent, in 6th place. Morocco’s Yassine Bounou follows in 8th, ahead of Senegal’s Édouard Mendy, 9th. Three places in the top ten, then, but no African goalkeeper has won the trophy since France Football created it in 2019.
Unai Simón, world champion and winner
Unai Simón adds the Yashin Trophy to his World Cup title won with Spain, Foot-africa.com reports. The Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper therefore finishes ahead of the three African representatives, who could not force their way onto the podium despite being among the ten nominees.
At 40, the Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha stood out during Cape Verde’s historic World Cup campaign, according to the same source. His 6th place remains the best African ranking of this edition, without earning him a place on the podium.
Bounou and Mendy, 8th and 9th
Yassine Bounou, the Al Hilal and Morocco goalkeeper, finishes 8th. He recorded 30 clean sheets in 58 appearances for Al Hilal, solid statistics that were not enough to reach the podium.
Édouard Mendy, the Al Ahli and Senegal goalkeeper, takes 9th place. He kept 28 clean sheets in 56 matches for Al Ahli, helped Senegal win the AFCON and added the AFC Champions League to his honours.
Yet the Senegalese knows how close the trophy can be: in 2021, he finished second behind Gianluigi Donnarumma, the best ranking ever achieved by an African goalkeeper.
A wait that has lasted since 2019
No African goalkeeper has won the Yashin Trophy since France Football created it in 2019, Foot-africa.com recalls. This 2026 edition changes nothing in that respect.
The next edition of the Yashin Trophy is yet to come, with no date specified in the file.