Ballon d’Or 2026: Three African Goalkeepers Nominated for Yashin Trophy

Africa has three representatives among the 10 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Yashin Trophy, the award for men’s goalkeeper of the year. Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, Senegal’s Édouard Mendy and Cape Verde’s Vozinha made the shortlist announced by France Football.

They will compete against Thibaut Courtois, David Raya, Joan García, Unai Simón, Gregor Kobel, Emiliano Martínez and Matvey Safonov. The nominations cover performances from August 2025 to July 2026 and include the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Vozinha’s selection follows a breakout tournament with Cape Verde, which made its World Cup debut. The 40-year-old goalkeeper produced notable performances against eventual champions Spain and Argentina. He helped Cape Verde hold Spain to a goalless draw and pushed Argentina into extra time in the Round of 32. Cape Verde eventually lost 3-2 in extra time.

Vozinha, who captained the team, was also voted into FIFA’s fan-selected World Cup Dream Team. His performances drew worldwide attention, and his social media following grew from fewer than 50,000 before the tournament to nearly 29 million. He was without a club during the World Cup but signed for Chilean club Colo-Colo weeks after the competition.

Bounou remains a key figure for Morocco and has continued to receive recognition for his performances with Al Hilal and the Atlas Lions. Mendy, a former Chelsea goalkeeper and experienced Senegal international, remains one of Africa’s most decorated goalkeepers after earlier continental success.