Unai Simón’s World Cup success helps secure Yashin Trophy

Unai Simón’s World Cup performances and years of consistent success with Spain and Athletic Club have helped make him the first Spanish goalkeeper to win the Yashin Trophy, BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague writes ahead of Spain’s Nations League match against England.

Simón received 351 points in this year’s Ballon d’Or goalkeeper award voting, finishing 128 points ahead of Arsenal’s David Raya. Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois came third. Simón had finished second to Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez two years earlier and was not among the 10 nominees last year, Balague reports.

At the World Cup, Simón conceded once and kept seven clean sheets as Spain won the tournament. He received the Golden Glove after conceding the fewest goals. His run of about 650 minutes without conceding surpassed Walter Zenga’s 517-minute record at the 1990 World Cup, according to Balague.

The award adds to a career that includes the European Championship and Nations League with Spain. At club level, Simón won the 2023-24 Zamora Trophy, given to the goalkeeper with the lowest goals-conceded-to-games ratio in Spain. It was the first time an Athletic Club goalkeeper had won it since José Ángel Iribar in 1970.

Simón joined Athletic’s academy aged 14. He became the club’s first-choice goalkeeper in 2018 after Kepa Arrizabalaga’s move to Chelsea, amid injuries and departures that brought Simón back from a loan spell at Elche. He has since established himself despite recurring questions about his place as Spain’s number one.

Balague describes Simón as a low-profile figure who credits family, friends, coaches and mentors, including Koldo Asua, who died in 2021. Simón has said he deleted his social media accounts after finding that online praise and criticism affected his mood.

He signed a contract with Athletic until 2029 in 2024, with no release clause, and said he wanted to become the world’s best goalkeeper while playing for the club. Spain face England in the Nations League on Sunday, with Simón keeping his place and Raya waiting for an opportunity, Balague writes.