By Peter Omopo
Africa will be represented by three goalkeepers on the 10-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Yashin Trophy, with Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, Senegal’s Édouard Mendy and Cape Verde’s Vozinha recognised for their performances during the 2025/26 season.
France Football announced the nominees on Tuesday, with the Yashin Trophy honouring the outstanding goalkeeper of the period between August 2025 and July 2026. Performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup were also taken into consideration.
The three African nominees will face competition from some of the leading goalkeepers in world football, including Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, Arsenal’s David Raya, Barcelona’s Joan García, Athletic Club’s Unai Simón, Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel, Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez and Matvey Safonov.
Vozinha’s nomination comes after an impressive campaign at the 2026 World Cup, where Cape Verde made its historic debut on football’s biggest stage.
The 40 year old goalkeeper played a crucial role in the Blue Sharks’ memorable tournament, producing standout performances against eventual champions Spain and Argentina. He helped Cape Verde hold Spain to a goalless draw before putting up another strong display against Argentina in the Round of 32.
Although Cape Verde eventually suffered a 3–2 defeat after extra time, Vozinha’s performance kept his side in contention for much of the encounter. His efforts earned further recognition when he was selected for FIFA’s fan voted World Cup Dream Team.
The goalkeeper also attracted enormous attention beyond the pitch during the tournament, with reports indicating that his social media following surged from fewer than 50,000 before the World Cup to nearly 29 million. He entered the competition without a club but subsequently joined Chilean giants Colo Colo several weeks after the tournament.
Bounou, meanwhile, received his nomination following another impressive period with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal and the Moroccan national team.
The Atlas Lions goalkeeper remains one of Africa’s most accomplished shot stoppers and has established himself as a prominent figure on the international stage. He was instrumental in Morocco’s historic run to the semi finals of the 2022 World Cup and has continued to maintain a high level of performance for both club and country.
Mendy also earned his place on the shortlist after another notable season at club and international level.
The Senegalese goalkeeper, who previously played for Chelsea, is among Africa’s most decorated goalkeepers and has enjoyed major success with both his club sides and the Senegal national team.
The inclusion of Bounou, Mendy and Vozinha means African goalkeeping talent accounts for three of the 10 contenders for one of football’s most prestigious individual awards.
The final Yashin Trophy winner will be determined from the shortlisted candidates as part of the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards, with the nominees now competing for recognition as the world’s best goalkeeper.
