The Golden Glove award was introduced at the African Cup of Nations in 2008, highlighting the paramount importance of solid and organized defense for triumphing in competitions.
The exceptional performances of goalkeepers often play a pivotal role, enabling them to save their team in critical moments and significantly contribute to securing a championship title.
Over the years, the CAN has showcased the prowess of some of the most talented African goalkeepers, who have demonstrated their ability to make a difference in crucial matches. Since its inception, the best goalkeeper award has been presented six times, with the 2023 edition being the most recent.
The first recipient of the Golden Glove, in 2008, was Egyptian Essam El-Hadary, who also clinched the award in the following edition. No other player was honored with this distinction in the two subsequent tournaments. In 2015, Sylvain Gbohouo, the goalkeeper for the victorious Ivory Coast team, was awarded, becoming the second goalkeeper to be honored.
No winner was declared in 2017, but in the next three editions of the CAN, a winner was announced each time, with Algerian Raïs M’Bolhi being recognized in 2019, followed by Senegalese Edouard Mendy in 2021. The 2023 competition saw a South African hero, Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams, acclaimed for his remarkable performances, leading his team to an impressive third place and earning the Golden Glove.
The Golden Glove recipients in the history of the CAN are as follows:
- 2008 and 2010: Essam El-Hadary (Egypt)
- 2015: Sylvain Gbohouo (Ivory Coast)
- 2019: Raïs M’Bolhi (Algeria)
- 2021: Edouard Mendy (Senegal)
- 2023: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
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