The 10 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award (Yashin Trophy) include three African goalkeepers, demonstrating the continent’s representation among the best goalkeepers in the globe.
The shortlist revealed by France Football on Tuesday includes Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal) of Morocco, Édouard Mendy (Al Ahli) of Senegal, and Vozinha (Colo-Colo) of Cape Verde.
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan García (Barcelona), Unai Simón (Athletic Club), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Emiliano Martínez, and Matvey Safonov are among the competitors they join.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is included in the nominees, which span performances from August 2025 to July 2026.
Vozinha’s exceptional accomplishments at the 2026 FIFA World Cup led to his nomination.
After putting up a string of outstanding performances against eventual champions Argentina and Spain, the 40-year-old goalkeeper emerged as one of the tournament’s breakthrough heroes.
After assisting tournament newcomers Cape Verde in holding Spain to a goalless draw and forcing Argentina into extra time in the Round of 32, he was named to FIFA’s fan-selected World Cup Dream Team. After losing to Argentina 3-2 in extra time, Cape Verde was subsequently eliminated.
His social media following increased from less than 50,000 prior to the competition to around 29 million as a result of his World Cup achievements.
At the time of the World Cup, Vozinha, the captain of Cape Verde, had no club. Weeks after the competition, he joined with Colo-Colo, the biggest football team in Chile.
In the meantime, Bounou, a vital member of the Atlas Lions and a former recipient of the CAF award, keeps receiving praise for his consistently excellent performances in Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
After previous success on the continent, Mendy, the seasoned Senegalese international and former Chelsea No. 1, is still among Africa’s most accomplished goalkeepers.
