Unai Simón has cemented his status as the world’s premier shot-stopper, emerging as the undisputed winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or goalkeeper category. The Athletic Club and Spain international amassed 351 points in the official vote, establishing a commanding 128-point advantage over his closest rival. This significant margin underscores Simón’s consistent excellence and the high regard in which he is held by the voting panel, effectively ending any debate regarding the top spot in the division.
Athletic Club star secures historic win with 128-point lead over David Raya
David Raya followed in second place with 223 points, while Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois completed the podium with 77 points. The race for the remaining top spots was tight, with Matvei Safonov finishing fourth on 67 points, just ten points ahead of Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez, who tallied 61. The rankings highlight a strong Spanish presence, as goalkeeper Joan García also cracked the top seven with 34 points, placing three Spanish keepers in the upper echelon of the competition.
The voting distribution revealed a stark hierarchy among the finalists. The top two goalkeepers, Simón and Raya, collectively accounted for 574 of the 1,313 total points distributed across the ten-player field. This concentration of support indicates a clear consensus on the elite tier of goalkeeping talent. The remaining spots were filled by Vozinha (45), Yassine Bounou (30), Edouard Mendy (8), and Gregor Kobel (4), rounding out a competitive but unevenly distributed final list.
Source: Yahoo Sports
