In Paris, the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony placed Athletic Bilbao and Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón at the centre of the goalkeeping honours. The 29-year-old collected the Yashin Trophy after a year that included Spain’s World Cup triumph, while Barcelona’s Cata Coll received the women’s award.
A prize for Bilbao and Spain
Simón became the first Athletic goalkeeper to win the Yashin Trophy, following a campaign in which he added the World Cup to his international record. He had previously been shortlisted in 2024 after playing a major part in Spain’s European Championship success.
On collecting the award, Simón thanked the people around him and dedicated the recognition to Athletic’s supporters.
“It is a source of pride to be here receiving this prize,” he said. “I could not have done it without so many people in my life, including my parents and my brother, who gave me the values I have today. I thank my coaches and team-mates with Spain and Athletic. In football, what matters is the legacy you leave, and I dedicate this to the Athletic fans.”
- Simón finished ahead of Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.
- Paris Saint-Germain’s Matvei Safonov was third.
- Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García and Chelsea’s Emiliano Martínez completed the top five.
- Arsenal’s David Raya was among the leading Spanish contenders.
The men’s Yashin Trophy top 10
- Unai Simón — Athletic Bilbao
- Thibaut Courtois — Real Madrid
- Matvei Safonov — Paris Saint-Germain
- Joan García — Barcelona
- Emiliano Martínez — Chelsea
- David Raya — Arsenal
- Vozinha — Colo-Colo
- Édouard Mendy — Al-Ahli
- Yassine Bounou — Al-Hilal
- Gregor Kobel — Borussia Dortmund
Coll takes the women’s goalkeeping honour
Barcelona’s Cata Coll was named the leading women’s goalkeeper after helping the Catalan club win the Spanish league title. She finished ahead of Brazil’s Lorena of Kansas City Current, Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton, Gotham FC’s Ann-Katrin Berger and Manchester City’s Anyaka Yamashita.
Hampton had won the award in 2025. The previous men’s recipient was Gianluigi Donnarumma, who took the 2025 Yashin Trophy after Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League and every available domestic title that season. He subsequently moved to Manchester City in a €35 million transfer.
Yashin Trophy winners
- 2019 — Alisson
- 2021 — Gianluigi Donnarumma
- 2022 — Thibaut Courtois
- 2023 — Emiliano Martínez
- 2024 — Emiliano Martínez
- 2025 — Gianluigi Donnarumma
- 2026 — Unai Simón
