Spain and Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simón has been named the world’s best goalkeeper at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday. Simón claimed the award after beating nine other nominees, including Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, Barcelona’s Joan García, Arsenal’s David Raya and Paris Saint-Germain’s Matvei Safonov. The…...
Spain and Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simón has been named the world’s best goalkeeper at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday.
Simón claimed the award after beating nine other nominees, including Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, Barcelona’s Joan García, Arsenal’s David Raya and Paris Saint-Germain’s Matvei Safonov.
The other nominees were Yassine Bounou of Morocco and Al-Hilal, Gregor Kobel of Switzerland and Borussia Dortmund, Emiliano Martínez of Argentina and Chelsea, Senegal’s Edouard Mendy of Al-Ahli, and Cape Verde’s Vozinha of Colo-Colo.
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Simón’s performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup helped secure the honour, having served as Spain’s first-choice goalkeeper throughout the tournament.
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He also won the World Cup Golden Glove award after conceding just one goal in eight matches.
The Spanish shot-stopper further set a tournament record with a 650-minute run without conceding a goal. The streak began with his final two matches at the 2022 World Cup and continued through the first six and a half matches of the 2026 tournament.