Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy says he did not ‘understand’ Ballon d’Or snub

Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy says he did not ‘understand’ Ballon d’Or snub and believes being African did him a ‘disservice’ because he did not feature in any international competitions last year

  • Edouard Mendy said he believed he deserved to be in the Ballon d’Or top 30
  • The Chelsea shot-stopper won the Champions League and finished fourth 
  • Only Manchester City kept more league clean sheets than Chelsea last season
  • For his performances, Mendy was named the Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper


Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy said he ‘didn’t understand’ why he did not crack the top 30 in last year’s Ballon d’Or.

The Senegal keeper was one of the standout players in the world and helped guide Chelsea to the Champions League, keeping a clean sheet in the Blues’ 1-0 win over Manchester City in the final.

Mendy also excelled in the Premier League in the 2020-21 campaign, with only City keeping more clean sheets than the west Londoners.  

Edouard Mendy ‘didn’t understand’ his Ballon d’Or snub as he failed to make the top 30 list

Since joining the London side in the September 2020, he has kept 25 clean sheets in his 52 league appearances.

For his heroics between the sticks, the 29-year-old was named the Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper but he did not rank within the top 30 players at the Ballon d’Or.

Speaking to French football programme Téléfoot, Mendy said he ‘didn’t understand’ the snub.  

Mendy, who won the Champions League, said he believed being African did him a 'disservice'

Mendy, who won the Champions League, said he believed being African did him a ‘disservice’

‘The best response was to stay the course on the pitch to show that my name deserved to be in the top 30. 

‘I think being African did me a disservice because I didn’t play in any international competitions last year.’ 

Lionel Messi scooped the top honour but just one goalkeeper featured in the final rankings, PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Mo Salah and Riyad Mahrez were the only two African players within the top 30. 

Lionel Messi won the top award and just one goalkeeper and two Africans made the top 30

Lionel Messi won the top award and just one goalkeeper and two Africans made the top 30

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