Yassine Bounou, Édouard Mendy and Vozinha are among the 10 contenders for the 2026 Yashin Trophy, the Ballon d’Or prize awarded to the men’s best goalkeeper.
Three African goalkeepers shortlisted
The shortlist was released on Tuesday and includes representatives from Morocco, Senegal and Cape Verde. They will compete with seven other leading goalkeepers for the prestigious award.
- Thibaut Courtois — Real Madrid
- David Raya — Arsenal
- Joan García — Barcelona
- Unai Simón — Athletic Club
- Gregor Kobel — Borussia Dortmund
- Emiliano Martínez — Argentina
- Matvey Safonov
The judging period covers performances from August 2025 through July 2026, with displays at the 2026 FIFA World Cup included in the assessment.
Vozinha’s World Cup breakthrough
Vozinha’s nomination follows a memorable tournament with Cape Verde, who appeared at the World Cup for the first time. The 40-year-old goalkeeper emerged as one of the competition’s surprise standouts after producing strong displays against eventual champions Spain and Argentina.
- He helped Cape Verde secure a 0-0 draw with Spain.
- Against Argentina in the Round of 32, he kept the Blue Sharks in contention for extended periods and took the game into extra time.
- Cape Verde ultimately lost 3-2 after the additional period.
Vozinha captained the Blue Sharks during the tournament and was later chosen by supporters for FIFA’s World Cup Dream Team.
His impact extended beyond the field. His social-media audience reportedly grew from below 50,000 before the tournament to nearly 29 million afterward.
He had no club when the World Cup opened, but joined Chilean powerhouse Colo-Colo several weeks after the competition ended.
Bounou and Mendy add experience
Bounou, a central figure for Morocco’s Atlas Lions and a former CAF award winner, was recognised after another strong spell with Al Hilal and the national side. He has become one of Africa’s premier goalkeepers, with his reputation strengthened by his major contribution to Morocco’s historic 2022 World Cup campaign.
Mendy is also on the list. The Senegal international, who previously played for Chelsea, remains one of the most decorated African goalkeepers, having achieved significant success for both his clubs and his country.
The presence of Bounou, Mendy and Vozinha gives Africa three nominees among the elite goalkeepers competing for the Yashin Trophy.
The winner will be revealed at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London next month.
