Why Unai Simón Won the 2026 Yashin Trophy: The Goalkeeper Who Barely Had to Work and Still Won the World

Great goalkeepers are usually remembered for dramatic saves. This year, however, the world’s best goalkeeper is the man whose team gave him so little to do. At the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26, 2026, Spain and Athletic Club’s Unai Simón won the Yashin Trophy, and the reasons are all about the World Cup.

Who Won the 2026 Yashin Trophy?

Simón won the men’s award as the best goalkeeper of the past season. He beat fellow Spaniards David Raya (Arsenal) and Joan García (Barcelona) in a three-way contest, while Spain also took the women’s prize through Barcelona’s Cata Coll.

He succeeds Gianluigi Donnarumma, who won in 2025 and was not even on this year’s list. In fact, Donnarumma’s omission was his first exclusion from the shortlist in three years.

Why Did Simón Win? The World Cup Numbers

The short answer is the 2026 World Cup, which Spain won by beating Argentina 1-0 in the final on July 19. Simón kept seven clean sheets, which is a record for a goalkeeper at a single World Cup. He also won the tournament’s Golden Glove.

Spain conceded just one goal all tournament, against Belgium in the quarter-finals. As a result, they let in the fewest goals of any World Cup winner. Meanwhile, Simón set a World Cup record of 650 minutes without conceding, beating Walter Zenga’s old mark of 517.

“My Hands Didn’t Have to Work That Hard”

Here is the fun part. Simón himself admits his job was easy. He said his hands “didn’t really have to work that hard as much as other keepers” and credited his defence. In the final, Argentina managed only two shots, neither on target, while Spain had 20.

So, the award rewards more than saves. It rewards being the calm, reliable last line of a team that won the biggest prize in football.

How the World Cup Final Played Out

The final at MetLife Stadium was a one-sided story for Simón. Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez made a record 11 saves, but at the other end Simón had very little to do. Over the whole tournament, Simón made just 14 saves on his way to the Golden Glove.

Along the way, Spain also beat France, who had Kylian Mbappé, and then Argentina, who had Lionel Messi. In other words, Simón’s calm spell came against some of the sharpest attackers in the world.

Was It an Easy Choice?

Not really. The ten-man shortlist included some big names:

• Emiliano Martínez: A two-time winner, now at Chelsea after Aston Villa, who lost the final to Simón.

• Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) and Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund).

• David Raya: Arsenal’s reigning Premier League Golden Glove winner.

• Matvey Safonov (Paris Saint-Germain).

However, Simón had the biggest stage, and it showed. He also had a footnote that critics might raise. A mid-tournament profile noted that his 2025/26 club season was statistically one of his weakest, with 73 goals conceded in 46 appearances and 8 clean sheets. That does not change the result, but it shows the award leaned heavily on his World Cup.

The African Angle: Bounou, Mendy and Vozinha

Africa was well represented on the shortlist. It included Yassine Bounou of Morocco (Al Hilal), Édouard Mendy (Al Ahli) and Cape Verde’s Vozinha, a 40-year-old hero of the World Cup who is playing the final months of a 19-year career.

None of them won, still, Vozinha’s nomination alone is a lovely story for African football.

A Big Night for Spain

Simón’s win was part of a Spanish sweep. Lamine Yamal won Young Player of the Year, Luis de la Fuente took Coach of the Year, Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or and Cata Coll collected the women’s goalkeeper prize. Only the men’s Ballon d’Or went elsewhere, to England’s Harry Kane.

Also, Simón already had a strong résumé before this. He won the 2023 Nations League and Euro 2024 with Spain, and he now has a World Cup winner’s medal to go with them. As a result, the Yashin Trophy feels like a natural next step.

A Quick History of the Yashin Trophy

• 2021: Gianluigi Donnarumma.

• 2023 and 2024: Emiliano Martínez.

• 2025: Donnarumma again.

• 2026: Unai Simón.

You can see the latest winners in this Yashin Trophy winners table. Notably, Simón was already second in 2024, behind Martínez.

Simón’s trophy proves that great goalkeeping is sometimes about being steady rather than spectacular. For more football stories, visit our sports desk, or read about how a World Cup place was lost on penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who won the 2026 Yashin Trophy?

Unai Simón of Athletic Club and Spain.

2. Why did Simón win the Yashin Trophy?

Mainly for his World Cup, where he kept seven clean sheets and helped Spain concede just one goal on the way to the title.

3. Who else was on the shortlist?

Raya, García, Martínez, Courtois, Kobel, Safonov, Bounou, Mendy and Vozinha.

4. Who won the women’s Yashin Trophy?

Cata Coll of Barcelona and Spain.