France Football magazine has unveiled the shortlist of nominees for the 2026 Yachine Trophy, awarded to the world’s best goalkeeper, with Morocco’s Yassine Bounou featuring as the sole Arab representative in a ten-man field.
The Yachine Trophy is presented annually to the standout goalkeeper of the season, regardless of league or nationality, evaluated on individual performance, collective achievements, and sportsmanship on and off the pitch.
The 10-man shortlist includes Yassine Bounou, Thibaut Courtois, Joan García, Gregor Kobel, Emiliano Martínez, Édouard Mendy, David Raya, Matvey Safonov, Unai Simón, and Vozinha, the goalkeeper for Cape Verde.
This latest nomination underscores Bounou’s consistent presence among the global elite, marking his fourth appearance on the shortlist in the last five editions—having finished 9th in 2022, 3rd in 2023, and 5th in 2025, missing out only in 2024.
The Al-Hilal shot-stopper secured his place following a campaign in which his team finished as Saudi Pro League runners-up and reached the AFC Champions League round of 16, making him one of only two Saudi Pro League goalkeepers on the list alongside Al-Ahli’s Édouard Mendy.
Bounou also played a crucial role in leading Morocco to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, further cementing his stature as a cornerstone of the Atlas Lions’ historic generation following their fourth-place finish at the Qatar World Cup.
The Moroccan international faces tough competition from a stellar lineup headlined by Unai Simón, winner of the World Cup Golden Glove, Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois, Premier League champion David Raya of Arsenal, and two-time Yachine Trophy winner Emiliano Martínez.
Each journalist on the voting panel will select three goalkeepers awarded 5, 3, and 1 point respectively, before the winner is officially crowned during the 70th anniversary Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26, 2026.
