Cape Town - Moroccan star Yassine Bounou is the only African with a chance to win a category at the annual Fifa Awards in Paris later this month.
Bounou, also known as Bono, is the Moroccan national team goalkeeper who plays for LaLiga club Sevilla. He is on the final three-player shortlist in the men’s goalkeeper category which also includes Real Madrid’s Belgian star Thibaut Courtois and Argentine keeper Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa.
Fifa's statement, in part, read: “Yassine Bounou, Thibaut Courtois and Emiliano Martinez have been announced as the three finalists for The Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper Award 2022.
“The accolade recognises the most outstanding performers in the men’s game from the period of 8 August 2021 to 18 December 2022. The winner will be revealed at a Paris ceremony on 27 February.
“Five players were initially nominated for The Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper award, having been chosen by a panel of experts.
“From this shortlist, the three finalists have been selected by an international jury comprising: men’s national team coaches, men’s national team captains, football journalists, and fans who voted on Fifa’s official website.”
The 31-year-old Bounou, who was born in Montreal, Canada, could become the second African keeper to win the prestigious award after Edouard Mendy of Senegal and Chelsea lifted the title last year.
Bounou's African connection started when he began his youth career in Morocco, playing for Wydad AC, the three-time CAF Champions League champions. He gained global popularity with his impressive 2022 World Cup performances and his constant heroics with Sevilla.
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“The 31-year-old made two wonderful penalty saves in Morocco’s Round of 16 shoot-out success over Spain and also shone as his team shocked Portugal 1-0 in the quarter-finals,” said Fifa in a statement. Fifa described Bounou as an “instrumental part” of Morocco’s history-making run at the tournament.
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In January, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) ranked Bounou in third place. He is the first African goalkeeper to enter the top three of the prestigious global ranking.
In May 2022, Bounou made history by becoming the first African to win the Zamora Trophy. It is an award established by the Spanish newspaper Marca, the daily sports newspaper. The award goes to the goalkeeper who has the lowest 'goals-to-games' ratio.
All the categories, and nominees:
Best Men's Player (in alphabetical order): Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid CF), Kylian Mbappé (France/Paris Saint-Germain FC), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Paris Saint-Germain FC)
Best Men's Coach Award: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid CF), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City FC), Lionel Scaloni (Argentinian National Team)
Best Men's Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou (Morocco/Sevilla FC), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium/Real Madrid CF), Emiliano Martínez (Argentina/Aston Villa FC)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany/Chelsea FC Women), Mary Earps (England/Manchester United WFC), Christiane Endler (Chile/Olympique Lyonnais)
Best Women’s Player: Beth Mead (England/Arsenal WFC), Alex Morgan (US/Orlando Pride/San Diego Wave), Alexia Putellas (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Best Women's Coach: Sonia Bompastor (Olympique Lyonnais), Pia Sundhage (Brazilian National Team), Sarina Wiegman (English National Team)
Puskás Award: Marcin Oleksy (Poland): Warta Poznań v Stal Rzeszów (PZU Amp Futbol Ekstraklasa, 6 November 2022), Dimitri Payet (France): Olympique de Marseille v PAOK Thessaloniki (Uefa Europa Conference League, 7 April 2022), Richarlison (Brazil): Brazil v Serbia (Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, 24 November 2022)
IOL Sport