Chelsea hero Edouard Mendy takes swipe at Ballon dOr after missing out on list
Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has voiced his confusion at being snubbed for the Ballon d’Or shortlist.
The 29-year-old Senegalese was integral to the Blues winning the Champions League in only his first season at the club earlier this year.
Mendy, who is equally adept with his feet as he is at shot-stopping, arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2020 where he kept a record-tying nine clean sheets on the way to winning the prestigious trophy.
But while teammates Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount and Romelu Lukaku were all put on the 30-man shortlist for the coveted Ballon d’Or, Mendy was surprisingly left out.
He has now questioned in an interview whether it is due to the fact he does not represent a European side like France at international level.
Speaking to Canal+ (via Wiw Sport), Mendy said: “It's something that motivates me and pushes me to work. Honestly, I am wondering.
“If I had played for France and had taken part in the [European Championships], would we have this debate and this reflection?”
It comes despite his earlier refusal to label the snub an “injustice” in October.
Mendy had said: “Do I think it’s an injustice? No, I wouldn’t use that word.
“It’s something that motivates me to go forward, to work and be performant at club level and with my country, and as I said after the game with the national team, it’s the journalists’ freedom of vote and expression, and they vote honourably and conscientiously.”
Other footballers have come to the defence of the goalkeeper, including Senegal teammate and captain Kalidou Koulibaly, who claimed it was a “shame” he was not on the 30-man shortlist.
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Koulibaly said: “It’s a real shame that Edou isn’t one of them. He is the first African goalkeeper to win the Champions League.
“We must continue to work and move forward. We have to do double [the work] of some people to be well judged.
“Edou is a very positive person. We talked about it together. He will continue to fight to be part of it. For me, he has a place among these 30 players.”
Liverpool star Sadio Mane shared the same sentiment towards his compatriot, saying: “It is unacceptable. I do not understand.”
However, the goalkeeper has been nominated for France Football’s Yashin trophy, named after the legendary Russian keeper and awarded to the best goalkeeper in the world.
Its winner along with the Ballon d’Or’s will be announced at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on November 29.
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