Nominees for the 2024 Yashin Trophy, given to the best goalkeeper of the calendar year, were announced yesterday ahead of the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
Headlining the list once more is last year’s winner, Emiliano Martinez, following another blinder of a year. The Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper was instrumental in his country’s triumph in Copa America 2024, following the heroics that saw him post the best goalkeeping stats in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Martinez himself memorably denied Randal Kolo Muani in the final of the World Cup and remains the only South American nominee this year.
Notably absent is the name of Brazil’s Alisson Becker, one of the world’s best goalkeepers. In his place are eight European goalkeepers, including Diogo Costa of Portugal; Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy; Mike Maignan of France; and Spain’s Unai Simon, one of the frontrunners after he helped Spain win a memorable Euro 2024.
Other European nominees include Yann Sommer of Switzerland and Gregor Kobel, Andriy Lunin of Ukraine, and Giorgi Mamardashvili of Georgia, all for outstanding performances across club and international football.
South Africa’s Ronwen Williams represents Africa as the sole nominee from the continent. Williams gained worldwide acclaim in the 2024 AFCON, saving four penalties in a shootout victory over Cape Verde to send South Africa through to their first semi-final in almost 25 years.
Indeed, the competition would be fierce for the 2024 Yashin Trophy, whose winner will be announced at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on October 28.
