Moroccan international goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, star of Saudi club Al-Hilal, continues to cement his place as one of the legendary goalkeepers in Africa and the world, during his exceptional participation with the Atlas Lions in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Morocco. Bounou's brilliance is not a coincidence, but rather the continuation of a career full of achievements, from his European success to his World Cup triumphs.
On the verge of an unprecedented historical achievement
As Arab and African fans eagerly await the opening whistle of the continental final, the Moroccan goalkeeper, Bono, finds himself with a golden opportunity to break records. He has kept five clean sheets in this edition of the tournament, placing his name alongside African goalkeeping legends who have achieved this feat before him, such as Egypt's Nader El-Sayed (1998), Algeria's Rais M'Bolhi (2019), and Ivory Coast's Alain Gouaméné (1992).
The highly anticipated final against Senegal holds special and historic significance for the Moroccan goalkeeper. Should he manage to keep a clean sheet and prevent the Senegalese attack from scoring, he will achieve his sixth clean sheet in a single edition of the tournament. This feat would equal the record that has stood for over two decades, held by the legendary Cameroonian goalkeeper Alioum Boukar since the 2002 edition.
The epic semi-final and the confirmation of merit
The road to the final was far from easy, as Yassine Bounou delivered a heroic performance in the semi-final against the formidable Nigerian team. Bounou displayed remarkable mental and technical composure during regulation time, before donning the mantle of hero in the penalty shootout, saving two crucial attempts that secured Morocco's passage to the final – a scene reminiscent of his outstanding performance against Spain in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
General context: Bono is a global icon
This continental brilliance cannot be separated from Yassine Bounou's upward trajectory in recent years. After playing a key role in Morocco's qualification for the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, the first Arab and African team to achieve this feat, he continued his impressive performances with Saudi club Al-Hilal, becoming a cornerstone of the "Leader's" dominance both domestically and in Asia. This consistent performance and accumulated experience have made him the primary safeguard for the aspirations of Moroccan fans who dream of lifting the continental trophy on home soil.
Record of greats in keeping a clean sheet at the Africa Cup of Nations:
- 6 matches: Alioum Boukar (Cameroon – 2002).
- 5 matches: Yassine Bounou (Morocco – 2025).
- 5 matches: Ronwen Williams (South Africa – 2023).
- 5 matches: Rais M'Bolhi (Algeria – 2019).
- 5 matches: Aboubacar Barry (Ivory Coast – 2012).
- 5 matches: Nader El-Sayed (Egypt – 1998).
- 5 matches: Alain Gouaméné (Ivory Coast – 1992).
