Kepa Arrizabalaga has backed his Arsenal teammate David Raya to win the Yashin Trophy at this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.
David Raya was recently nominated for the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, presented by France Football, with the accolade also known as the Yashin Trophy.
Whilst this isn’t the first time Raya has been nominated, he’s never previously finished in the top-three in the subsequent vote, let alone winning it.
Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has argued that things should be different this time around, following Raya’s third consecutive Premier League Golden Glove, the Premier League trophy win, and the run to the Champions League final.
“I see all the work he puts in every day,” Kepa said. “He has shown over the last three to four years at Arsenal how consistent he is.
“The Golden Gloves, the crucial saves, how important he is for the team. He should be in the conversation to win it.
“He’s always focused, he knows his strengths, he knows everything about the team in front of him, he is calm, confident, and to be at the level he is at, you have to have all of these qualities.
“I think what with the last season that he had: winning the Premier League, winning the Golden Glove again, and being very close to winning the Champions League. Big things like that are not easy to achieve.”
Raya wasn’t the only Arsenal nominee at the annual Ballon d’Or awards. As a club, the Gunners have been nominated for Men’s Club of the Year, and Mikel Arteta was nominated for Men’s Coach of the Year.
Then Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice, and William Saliba have all made the final 30 Ballon d’Or nominees. On the Arsenal Women’s side, Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo made the 30-player shortlist for the Women’s Ballon d’Or.
Whether Arsenal actually win any of those prizes is another matter, but perhaps Raya has the best shot from the various men’s nominees.
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