Unai Simón nominated for world's best goalkeeper at the Ballon d'Or

Unai Simón is once again in the running for the Yashin Trophy, the Ballon d'Or award for goalkeepers. The Athletic Club shot-stopper is among the nominees for the 2026 accolade, having come close to winning it two years ago when he finished second behind Argentina's Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez.

Simón's 2026 nomination comes after a particularly remarkable year. At the 2026 World Cup, he was awarded the Golden Glove, the prize given to the tournament's best goalkeeper, adding another major individual honour to his career.

He conceded just one goal in eight matches, against Belgium in the quarter-finals. Furthermore, he set a new World Cup record for the longest run without conceding, going 650 consecutive minutes without letting in a goal and surpassing the previous mark of 517 minutes held by Italy's Walter Zenga.

"It's an honour to be on that list alongside so many great goalkeepers. It's also recognition of the work being done at Athletic and Lezama," Unai Simón said after learning of his nomination.