Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha finished sixth in the 2026 Yachine Trophy rankings after collecting 45 points in a voting process that saw two international journalists place him at the top of their selections.
The 40-year-old’s performance in the prestigious goalkeeper award represents a remarkable achievement following his country’s historic appearance at the 2026 World Cup, where his displays helped attract international attention.
Vozinha received two first-place votes from journalists representing Nigeria and Zambia, while eight others ranked him second. Those placing the Cape Verdean goalkeeper in second position came from Cameroon, South Korea, Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Iceland, Jordan, Uzbekistan and Sweden.
His overall points tally placed him among the leading goalkeepers in the world, despite having been relatively unknown to a wider international audience before the tournament.
The Yachine Trophy, organised by France Football, recognises outstanding goalkeeping performances. Vozinha’s inclusion among the 10 shortlisted candidates was already considered a significant achievement, but his final sixth-place position provided further recognition of his progress on the international stage.
His rise has been closely connected to Cape Verde’s impressive journey at the 2026 World Cup.
The tournament marked a historic milestone for the island nation, which qualified for the competition for the first time. Vozinha played an important role in the team’s campaign, producing a series of interventions that helped the Blue Sharks reach the round of 16.
Cape Verde’s journey eventually came to an end against Argentina, but their performances attracted worldwide attention and provided several players with an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities on football’s biggest stage.
For Vozinha, the exposure proved particularly important. His performances during the tournament helped transform his international profile, bringing him recognition that had previously been beyond his reach.
At 40, the goalkeeper’s appearance at the World Cup was already a significant personal achievement. His subsequent recognition in the Yachine Trophy voting has added another remarkable chapter to his career.
The final standings also placed Vozinha ahead of two more widely recognised African goalkeepers.
Morocco’s Yassine Bounou finished eighth, while Senegal’s Édouard Mendy occupied ninth position. The Cape Verde international therefore secured a higher ranking than both players in the 2026 voting.
Spain’s Unai Simón claimed the award after finishing ahead of fellow goalkeeper David Raya, who was second, and Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois, who completed the top three.
Although Vozinha did not win the trophy, his 45-point total reflected the support he received from journalists across different countries.
The two first-place selections from Nigeria and Zambia were particularly notable, demonstrating that his performances had made an impression beyond Cape Verde and the countries involved in the World Cup campaign.
The eight second-place votes from journalists in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean further underlined the international attention surrounding his nomination.
His sixth-place finish is especially significant given the relatively short period in which he moved from being largely unfamiliar to the wider football audience to becoming a recognised candidate for one of the sport’s leading individual goalkeeper awards.
Cape Verde’s historic qualification and progress to the last 16 provided the platform for that recognition, with Vozinha’s contributions helping the national team achieve an important milestone.
The 2026 Yachine Trophy results have therefore offered further recognition of both the goalkeeper’s performances and the impact of Cape Verde’s World Cup campaign.
For Vozinha, the 45 points represent more than a position in an individual award ranking. They mark a remarkable rise in international recognition for a goalkeeper whose World Cup performances brought him to the attention of the global football community
