Ten goalkeepers have been nominated for the 2026 Goalkeeper of the Year award, with Cape Verde veteran Vozinha and Senegal international Édouard Mendy leading the African contingent in a highly competitive field.
The nominees, announced by France Football, include some of the most accomplished goalkeepers in world football, with former Yashin Trophy winners Thibaut Courtois and Emiliano Martínez among the leading contenders for the prestigious individual prize.
Morocco’s Yassine Bounou also makes the list as the third African goalkeeper in contention after another impressive campaign at club and international level, while Mendy’s outstanding performances for Al-Ahli and Senegal have earned him a third nomination.
The 40-year-old Vozinha is arguably the biggest surprise inclusion. The Cape Verde goalkeeper rose to global prominence during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where his performances over four matches earned him a place in the tournament’s All-Star Team and a surge in popularity on social media.
Vozinha’s nomination caps an extraordinary career journey. After spending much of his career in Portuguese football, including the Portuguese second division, the veteran goalkeeper moved to Chilean club Colo-Colo in July 2026.
Mendy enters the race with one of the strongest trophy collections among the nominees. The Senegalese goalkeeper helped Al-Ahli win the AFC Champions League and the Saudi Arabian Super Cup, while his spectacular save from Brahim Diaz’s Panenka in the Africa Cup of Nations final has been described as one of the most remarkable saves of the year.
The other nominees include Spain trio Unai Simon, David Raya and Joan Garcia, Switzerland’s Gregor Kobel and Russia’s Matvei Safonov.
Together, the ten nominees represent a mixture of established stars, emerging talents and unexpected breakthroughs.
Mendy, Bounou and Vozinha Carry African Hopes
Bounou remains one of Africa’s most decorated goalkeeping figures and receives his fourth nomination. The Al-Hilal goalkeeper made 58 appearances during the 2025-26 season, keeping 30 clean sheets and conceding 41 goals. His only major honour was the Saudi Arabian King’s Cup.
Mendy, meanwhile, recorded 28 clean sheets in 56 appearances for Al-Ahli while conceding 47 goals. His combination of consistency, decisive saves and major trophies makes him one of the strongest candidates for the award.
Vozinha’s numbers are less spectacular at club level, with 13 clean sheets in 30 matches, but his World Cup performances dramatically altered his profile.
His nomination reflects the award’s emphasis on individual decisiveness and impressiveness rather than simply statistics or trophies.
World-Class Competition for the Prize
Courtois is seeking recognition after another season with Real Madrid, while Chelsea’s Emiliano Martínez is chasing a third Goalkeeper of the Year crown after winning in 2023 and 2024. The Argentine also helped Aston Villa win the Europa League before moving to Chelsea in August 2026.
Spain’s goalkeeping strength is represented by Simon, Raya and Barcelona’s new first-choice goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Simon helped Spain win the World Cup and previously finished second in the award’s voting in 2024. Raya also enjoyed an exceptional season with Arsenal, winning the Premier League and World Cup, although he spent the World Cup on the bench behind Simon.
Safonov is a first-time nominee following a successful campaign with Paris Saint-Germain. He made 31 appearances and helped the French giants win the Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, UEFA Super Cup and French championship.
Kobel, meanwhile, made 61 appearances for Borussia Dortmund and kept 24 clean sheets, earning his second nomination after finishing 10th in 2024.
The award is decided by an international jury of specialist journalists, with each juror selecting three goalkeepers in order of merit. The first, second and third choices receive five, three and one points respectively.
The winner will be announced on October 26 in London, with individual performances, team achievements, decisiveness, class and fair play forming the basis of the assessment.
With former winners, World Cup champions, continental champions and the remarkable Vozinha all competing, the 2026 Goalkeeper of the Year race promises to be one of the most difficult to predict.
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