“Someone explain why he’s not nominated for the Ballon d’Or?”
Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy says his omission from the Ballon d’Or final shortlist is not an ‘injustice’.
The Senegal international was left off the list of 30 candidates published by France Football with teammates stunned by his absence.
Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger are among the Chelsea players to have slammed the decision after another stunning display from the Senegal international in Saturday’s victory over Brentford.
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 16: Pontus Jansson of Brentford has his shot saved by Edouard Mendy of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Brentford and Chelsea at Brentford Community Stadium on October 16, 2021 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
“Someone explain why he’s not nominated for the Ballon d’Or?”
That was a tweet sent by Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger after the Blues’ hard-fought 1-0 win over Brentford on Saturday evening.
Over the international break Mendy’s Senegal team-mates Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, slammed the decision to exclude Mendy from the list.
“It’s a real shame that Edou isn’t one of them,” said Koulibaly. “He is the first African goalkeeper to win the Champions League.”
Koulibaly added. “We have to do [double the work] of some people to be well judged.”
Liverpool forward and countryman Sadio Mane also described the decision as “unacceptable”, adding that: “I do not understand.
However, Mendy has taken a more measured view, and grateful for the support and vowing to use it as motivation going forward.
“Honestly I am already very proud to represent my country and be among the 10 best goalkeepers in the world.
“In just one year [at Chelsea], it’s a very good thing. I’m not satisfied with that, I have a lot of ambitions but it’s already a good step. He said.
“There will always be debates, whether it’s about me or someone else. It is down to the freedom of the votes of the (Ballon d’Or) journalists and they must be respected.
‘I saw the list at the same time as many people, and I got a lot of messages from people close to me and from some I didn’t even know,’ he told Canal+
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 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.’
Saturday’s clean sheet against Brentford was Mendy’s 20th in 38 Premier League games, while he also recorded a clean sheet in the Champions League final against the Premier League champions Manchester City at the end of last season.
Manchester City’s English forward Raheem Sterling (L) attempts a shot as Chelsea’s Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy (R) attempts to block the ball during the UEFA Champions League final football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Dragao stadium in Porto on May 29, 2021. (Photo by Manu Fernandez / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MANU FERNANDEZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
SHOULD MENDY HAVE BEEN SELECTED AHEAD OF DONNARUMMA
Frankly Speaking, Mendy won the European best goalkeeper and also broke the record for the most clean sheets for an English team’s goalkeeper in a single Champions League campaign.
However on the other hand, Gianluigi Donnarumma was excellent in the European Championship – particularly in the penalty shoot-out – but he was shaky last season in Italy with AC Milan and has been far from assured in Paris for PSG.
Perhaps international success has swayed the selection process in the Italian’s favour despite the fact that the Senegalese won the European Golden glove.
However, it’s obvious that Donnarumma – the only goalkeeper on the shortlist – has not been the best stopper in the world in 2021.