Awards
Unai Simón wins the Yashin Trophy at the 2026 Ballon d'Or
The Athletic Bilbao and Spain goalkeeper was named the world's best at the ceremony held in London.
FootVal Newsroom
Unai Simón has been awarded the Yashin Trophy at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, with France Football naming the Athletic Bilbao and Spain goalkeeper the best in the world in his position.
Simón, 29, was one of the central figures in Spain's World Cup triumph, a campaign that also earned his national team coach Luis de la Fuente the best coach award at the same ceremony, according to L'Équipe.
Collecting his award, Simón said: "It is a pride to be here winning this prize. It would have been impossible without the help of many people in my life." He added that the World Cup title was something he expected to appreciate even more with time.
FootVal's valuation of Simón stands at €18.6m, below his Transfermarkt market value of €22m. He has made ten appearances for Athletic Bilbao in the current season, posting an average rating of 7.13. His contract at the club runs until June 2029.
Sources
This article is based on reports by:
- ge — Bola de Ouro 2026: Unai Simón vence o Troféu Yashin de melhor goleiro
- Marca — El emocionante discurso de Unai Simón: "Lo importante de verdad es el legado que uno deja"
- Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) — BREAKING: Unai Simon wins the Men's Goalkeeper of the Year.🧤
- Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) — 🏆✨ OFFICIAL: Unai Simón wins Best Goalkeeper Award at 2026 Ballon d’Or.
- Mundo Deportivo — Unai Simón: "Es un orgullo estar aquí"
Written by the FootVal newsroom from the reports below, with figures from FootVal’s own database. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. · How we report