Ballon D’or: Three Africans make 2026 Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year shortlist
Africa will have three representatives in contention for the 2026 Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award after Yassine Bounou, Édouard Mendy and Vozinha were named among the 10 nominees.
Three African goalkeepers – Yassine Bounou of Morocco, Édouard Mendy of Senegal, and Vozinha of Cape Verde – have been selected for the 2026 Ballon d’or Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year shortlist. Bounou has consistently demonstrated his prowess as a goalkeeper, both for his club and national team, and played a crucial role in Morocco's run to the quarterfinals in the World Cup held in North America.
Mendy, another experienced player from Senegal, has been honored for another outstanding performance season. Despite Senegal's early exit from the World Cup in the Round of 32, Mendy's contributions to both club and country have earned him a spot on the shortlist. Completing the trio of African goalkeepers is Vozinha, a veteran goalkeeper from Cape Verde, who was highly praised for his performance in Cape Verde's Round of 32 match against Argentina.
The nine other nominees include renowned goalkeepers from Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Argentina, and Russia. The winner of the 2026 Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award will be determined from this list of 10 nominees.
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