Three African goalkeepers are among the 10 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, known as the Yashin Trophy. This shows the continent's presence among the world's top keepers.
Morocco’s Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal), Senegal’s Édouard Mendy (Al Ahli), and Vozinha from Cape Verde (Colo-Colo) are on the list announced by France Football on Tuesday.
They are in a tough competition that includes Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan García (Barcelona), Unai Simón (Athletic Club), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Emiliano Martínez, and Matvey Safonov.
The nominations are based on performances from August 2025 to July 2026, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Vozinha earned his nomination after his great performances during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 40-year-old goalkeeper became one of the stars of the tournament by making impressive saves against Spain and Argentina.
He was voted into FIFA’s fan-selected World Cup Dream Team after helping Cape Verde, who were making their World Cup debut, hold Spain to a scoreless draw. He also pushed Argentina into extra time in the Round of 32. Unfortunately, Cape Verde lost to Argentina 3-2 in extra time.
His World Cup success brought him a lot of attention. His social media following jumped from less than 50,000 before the tournament to nearly 29 million.
Vozinha, who captained Cape Verde, did not have a club during the World Cup. He later signed with the Chilean team Colo-Colo a few weeks after the tournament.
On the other hand, Bounou has been a key player for the Atlas Lions. He is a previous winner of the CAF award and is still being recognized for his top performances in Saudi Arabia and with Morocco.
Mendy, the experienced goalkeeper from Senegal and former Chelsea No. 1, is one of Africa’s most decorated keepers, known for his earlier successes on the continent.
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