Rabat – Moroccan international and Spain’s Sevilla FC goalkeeper Yassine Bounou received on Wednesday the Zamora Trophy he won for being the best goalkeeper in La Liga, Spain’s top-tier football league and one of the most prominent in Europe.
Bounou won the trophy last March for the 2021-2022 season, becoming the first Moroccan and Arab to win the Zamora Award. The unprecedented achievement also marks the first time that a Sevilla goalkeeper won the award in the history of La Liga.
Established in 1958 by the Spanish newspaper Marca, the trophy is awarded to the goalkeeper with the lower goals-to-games ratio in the Spanish first division. The award is named in honor of Ricardo Zamora, a prominent Spanish goalkeeper and manager.
Bounou conceded 24 goals in 31 matches in the last season, a historical achievement that allowed him to outperform some of Europe’s best goalkeepers playing in La Liga.
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Sevilla FC took to Twitter to celebrate its goalkeeper’s win and posted a picture of the Moroccan goalkeeper holding the Zamora Prize.
Sevilla fans congratulated Bounou on his achievement and highlighted his remarkable goalkeeping skills. One described the Moroccan keeper on Twitter as “the most elite player that our Sevilla FC has.”
Another Sevilla fan Tweeted: “You came as a complete stranger to us and have ended up becoming the blood of our blood. Honor and glory to those who defend our shirt with the passion and feeling you have been doing since you arrived. Congratulations Yassine, you deserve it.”
In July, the Moroccan international was named second best African goalkeeper, according to a ranking by Leo Sports. “Bounou, better known by his nickname Bono, is one of the giants of Spanish soccer,” the website wrote.
Last month, Bounou was shortlisted for the 2022 Ballon d’Or Yashin trophy, an award that the French magazine France Football presents annually to the best performing goalkeeper.
