Mendy affected by ballon d or snub but hails influence of Tuchel and cech
Edouard Mendy was affected by missing out on a Ballon d’Or nomination, although his outstanding trophy haul goes some way to making up for it.
Goalkeeper Mendy helped Senegal to win their first Africa Cup of Nations title in February, having helped Chelsea win the FIFA Club World Cup that same month.
But 2021 represented a stellar year for Mendy as he enjoyed success in his first season in England following a switch from Rennes.
He played a key role as Chelsea clinched their second Champions League title, boasting a higher save percentage (91.18) than any goalkeeper to make more than one appearance in the competition and keeping nine clean sheets in 12 outings.
Despite that, Mendy failed to make a 30-man shortlist for football’s biggest individual prize, and lost out on the Yashin Trophy – awarded to the best goalkeeper – to Italy’s Euro 2020 hero Gianluigi Donnarumma.
“There have been some incredible moments and there have been some moments that have been more difficult,” Mendy told Chelsea’s club media.
“After the Ballon d’Or, I think that even if you try to rise above it, unconsciously you are still affected by it. But also it was something new for me.
“You learn from every challenge and I’ve learned how to deal with it. These are things that I’ve experienced that have made me a better person, even if at the time it [did] affect me.
“I’ve also experienced some absolutely joyous moments with AFCON and the Champions League, the [2021 UEFA] Super Cup, winning trophies. When you win them, it becomes an addiction, when you live your life in competition you want to be in the final to win.
“I’ve been lucky enough to experience that at club level and with my national team who won for the first time in our history. So it’s a mix of a lot of emotions but enormously positive ones that bring huge amounts of pride to my family. My reality is what every footballer dreams of.”
While the Ballon d’Or has so far evaded Mendy, he hailed the influence Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel – and the club’s sporting director, former goalkeeper Petr Cech – have had on his time in west London.
𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙨 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙎𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 ™️ 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩
