2023 Yashin Trophy nominees - ranked

  • Ballon d'Or nominees Emi Martinez, Andre Onana and Yassine Bounou up for goalkeeper award
  • Award was created in 2019 and named after legendary USSR stopper Lev Yashin
  • Alisson Becker, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Thibaut Courtois are former winners
Martinez and Onana are up for the Yashin Trophy
Martinez and Onana are up for the Yashin Trophy / Visionhaus / Contributor / James Gill - Danehouse / Contributor
facebooktwitterreddit

The nominees for the 2023 Yashin Trophy awarded by France Football have been announced, including three who have been included on the shortlist for the Ballon d'Or.

USSR great Lev Yashin remains the only goalkeeper ever to win the Ballon d'Or and the award bestowing his name was first handed out in 2019, with Alisson the inaugural winner. Gianluigi Donnarumma and Thibaut Courtois have also scooped the gongs for their performances at club and international level.

Here are 90min's favourites for the 2023 Yashin Trophy.


2023 Yashin Trophy nominees - ranked

10. Aaron Ramsdale - Arsenal & England

Aaron Ramsdale
Ramsdale has won over some of his doubters at Arsenal / Robin Jones/GettyImages

Going from two consecutive relegations to an Arsenal side with dreams of grandeur was a major step up for Aaron Ramsdale.

The Stoke-on-Trent-born goalie has made some dramatic and near unbelievable saves since moving to the Emirates in 2021.

The next steps in his development include eliminating pesky and regular errors, hold off new Gunners signing David Raya and take the England jersey off Jordan Pickford.


9. Brice Samba - Lens & France

Brice Samba
Samba starred for Lens in 2022/23 / Jean Catuffe/GettyImages

Definitely a late bloomer, Brice Samba helped Nottingham Forest achieve promotion in 2022 but didn't stick around, instead moving back to France with Lens.

It's proved to be the right decision, with the France international now looking forward to his first ever appearances in the Champions League. Lens are set to face Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven and Sevilla.


8. Dominik Livakovic - Fenerbahce & Croatia

Dominik Livakovic
Dominik Livakovic came alive in penalty shootouts at the World Cup / BSR Agency/GettyImages

Three saves in one World Cup penalty shootout, Dominik? Three? That's insane!

Croatia's run to the semi-finals in 2022 included two shootout victories against Japan and Brazil. The round of 16 clash with Japan saw Livakovic - now at Fenerbahce - deny Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida to send his side through before keeping out Rodrygo in the quarter-finals.


7. Yassine Bounou - Al Hilal & Morocco

Yassine Bounou
Bounou was another shootout hero / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Another star who shone bright in Qatar, Yassine Bounou picked up back-to-back player of the match awards during Morocco's run to the World Cup semi-finals.

Spain completely choked on spot-kicks in the quarter-finals as Bono saved from Carlos Soler and Pablo Sarabia to help Morocco become the first ever African side to reach the final four.

There was also success at club level for Bono as Sevilla won the Europa League - he was at his best again for the final against Roma - before he signed for Saudi Arabian outfit Al Hilal.


6. Andre Onana - Manchester United & Cameroon

Andre Onana
Onana is Man Utd's new number one / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Onana has enjoyed a high-profile year, bowing out of the World Cup due to internal conflict in Cameroon's setup before helping Inter to the Champions League final.

His ease in possession has been complemented by some hairy moments during his brief Manchester United career so far but it's clear his style will gel more with Erik ten Hag than predecessor David de Gea.


5. Thibaut Courtois - Real Madrid & Belgium

Thibaut Courtois
Courtois is one of the world's best / Sam Hodde/GettyImages

Thibaut Courtois was deservedly this award's winner last year but it's been a trickier 12 months since, with Real Madrid struggling in both La Liga and the Champions League in 2022/23.

A severe injury has halted his 2023/24 campaign, while his relationship with the Belgium setup has suffered severely due to a disagreement over the captaincy.


4. Mike Maignan - AC Milan & France

Mike Maignan
Maignan is France's number one / Nicolò Campo/GettyImages

Mike Maignan is the only current Serie A goalkeeper nominated for the Yashin Award despite missing a fair chunk of the 2022/23 season due to injury.

The Frenchman still helped AC Milan to the Champions League semi-finals and kept eight clean sheets from 21 appearances in Italy's top flight. Following Hugo Lloris' international retirement, Maignan is expected to nail down the role of Les Bleus' regular stopper, meaning his reputation will only continue to grow.


3. Marc-Andre ter Stegen - Barcelona & Germany

Marc Andre Ter Stegen
Ter Stegen is back to his best / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages

Marc-Andre ter Stegen looked to have lost his way a few years ago, though he was hardly alone in that regard at both club and international level.

Barcelona have bounced back with Xavi's return as manager and conceded only 20 La Liga goals last season. That helped Ter Stegen win the Zamora Trophy, while his Germany prospects have improved with a period out for regular first choice Manuel Neuer.


2. Ederson - Manchester City & Brazil

Ederson
Ederson is a treble winner / Michael Regan/GettyImages

How highly can you rank a goalkeeper whose team have all the ball and is rarely required to make actual saves? Well, we're still plugging Manchester City's Ederson in second place.

Why? He's a treble winner and made his biggest contribution of the season in the Champions League final against Inter with some heroic saves in the closing stages.

Ederson is still fighting a losing battle with Alisson - not nominated this year - to be Brazil's starting goalie and only played once at the World Cup.


1. Emiliano Martinez - Aston Villa & Argentina

Emiliano Martinez
This man is the favourite / Clive Brunskill/GettyImages

Still an iconic image, right?

Argentina's dogged team personality starts at the back with Emiliano Martinez, whose smack-talking and keen anticipation helped La Albiceleste win gold in Qatar late last year. He made a huge stop to deny Randal Kolo Muani in the World Cup final and kept out Kingsley Coman from the spot as Argentina earned their third star.

The former Arsenal stopper continues to impress with an ever-improving Aston Villa, but it's his antics on the international scene that will likely see Martinez win the 2023 Yashin Trophy.


READ MORE ON THE 2023 BALLON D'OR NOMINATIONS AND PREDICTED RANKINGS

manual