The Arab world eagerly awaits the announcement of the Best Goalkeeper for the year 2023 at the annual FIFA awards ceremony, set to take place the day after tomorrow in the British capital, London.
Among the three finalists for the coveted award is Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who competes with Belgian Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid and Brazilian Ederson Moraes of Manchester City.
The award, recognizing the best male goalkeeper from December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023, has heightened global anticipation, especially considering Bounou’s outstanding performances.
Bounou’s brilliance shone during the 2022 World Cup with the Moroccan national team, and he continued his stellar form with Sevilla in the Spanish domestic season, aiding his team in securing the European League title for the seventh time.
After breaking Spanish hearts with Morocco’s penalty shootout victory over Spain in the World Cup round of 16 in Qatar, Bounou became the hero for Spanish fans as he thwarted Roger Ibanez and Gianluca Mancini’s penalties in Sevilla’s 4-1 shootout victory against Roma, following a tense 1-1 draw over 120 minutes in the Europa League final.
This stellar performance earned Bounou, 32, the title of the best player in the final, securing his place in the Europa League’s best lineup before his move last summer to Saudi club Al-Hilal for the latest challenge in his career.
In fierce competition, Bounou faces Ederson Moraes, the goalkeeper for Manchester City, who clinched the English Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles in the previous season.
Ederson’s international debut with Brazil in 2017 paved the way for him to feature in two World Cups (2018 and 2022) and two Copa America tournaments (2019 and 2021), winning the latter in 2019.
Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian shot-stopper from Real Madrid, also stands as a contender for the prestigious award.
Courtois continued to build on his reputation as one of the most talented goalkeepers globally, aiding Real Madrid in adding another title to their illustrious collection by defeating Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final and securing their twentieth triumph.
Courtois was also honored by the Belgian national team for reaching 100 international appearances, solidifying his status as a goalkeeper par excellence.
As the football world eagerly awaits the unveiling of the Best Goalkeeper at the FIFA Gala, the competition between Bounou, Ederson, and Courtois adds an extra layer of excitement, recognizing the exceptional talent and contributions of these remarkable goalkeepers on the global stage.
