Unai Simon becomes first Spanish winner of Yashin Trophy

Unai Simon has been named the world’s best goalkeeper for 2026 by France Football, becoming the first Spanish player to win the Yashin Trophy.

The Athletic Club goalkeeper was recognised after helping Spain win the 2026 World Cup. He conceded only one goal during the tournament and set a record for the longest sequence of minutes without conceding.

The award is named after Lev Yashin, the legendary former Soviet Union goalkeeper, and was first introduced in 2019.

Simon is the fifth goalkeeper to receive the honour. Previous winners include Alisson Becker, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has won it twice, Thibaut Courtois and Emiliano Martinez, who has also claimed the award twice.

“I am proud to be here and receive this award,” said Simon. “I would not have won it without the help of many people, and I will remain grateful to them for the rest of my life.”

He added: “I thank my parents and my sister because I was brought up with the values and principles that define me today. I also thank my girlfriend, because she is a source of calm in a world full of chaos.”

“Goalkeepers face pressure that players in other positions may not experience,” Simon said. “We have to live with our mistakes and accept the huge responsibility placed on us.”

Simon finished ahead of Yassine Bounou, Courtois, Joan Garcia, Gregor Kobel, Martinez, Edouard Mendy, David Raya, Matvey Safonov and Vozinha.

During the previous season, Simon made 62 appearances for Athletic Club and Spain. He kept 21 clean sheets and conceded 74 goals.

Final Yashin Trophy standings

1. Unai Simon 2. David Raya 3. Thibaut Courtois 4. Matvey Safonov 5. Emiliano Martinez 6. Vozinha 7. Joan Garcia 8. Yassine Bounou 9. Edouard Mendy 10. Gregor Kobel