Eduardo Mendy, 29, saved a penalty kick to help his nation to their first-ever AFCON title in Cameroon on Sunday, with the tournament favourites defeating Mohamed Salah’s Egypt 4-2 on spot kicks.
The penalty save from Edouard Mendy that won the AFRON cup for Senegal. pic.twitter.com/jUASVmRmeF
— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) February 6, 2022
Mendy now won both the African Cup Of Nations and the Champions League.
Edouard Mendy is the first keeper to keep a clean sheet in a Champions League final and in an Africa Cup Of Nations final
Senegal beat Egypt on penalties in Sunday’s final to win the tournament for the first time in their history.
Mendy, meanwhile, was crowned Africa Cup of Nations’ best goalkeeper as he kept three clean sheets during the competition and also saved a penalty in the shootout against Egypt.
The Great Wall of #TeamSenegal 🛡
Edouard Mendy won the tournament’s Best Goalkeeper Award thanks to his exceptional saves 🧤#TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | @Fsfofficielle pic.twitter.com/tCigjuKLpi
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 8, 2022
Senegal’s Edouard Mendy was presented with his FIFA The Best Men’s Goalkeeper award at AFCON2021 by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.
After receiving the 2021 Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper prize, Mendy was also named Goalkeeper of the Tournament at AFCON, with Mane getting the Player of the Tournament award.
“Hard work, consistency, sacrifices, belief, support and hope,” Eduardo Mendy wrote on Instagram after the final.
“I couldn’t have done it without the love and support I received from my team, staff, players, family and fans. We won together.”
These Senegalese fans have been dancing since they landed in Cameroon 😁😁😁 #passion 💯💯 #AFCON2021 pic.twitter.com/osWuiNeKOn
— Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) February 2, 2022
After winning AFCON Edouard Mendy said, “Winning AFCON2021 is 10 times stronger than the Champions League, it’s incomparable, goosebumps like I’ve never had!”
🎥 THAT is how you welcome the continent’s grandest prize! For the FIRST! ❤️ TIME! 🇸🇳 EVER! 🏆#TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | @Fsfofficielle | via TW @Dr__Drone pic.twitter.com/aZVhnj9kCd
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 8, 2022
Further, Edouard Mendy said, “Gabaski is the best goalkeeper of the tournament, honestly. I spoke to him and I told him he deserved to be the goalkeeper of the tournament. And I was really impressed by his tournament.” It is a classy sporting gesture from Mendy.
8 years ago, Edouard Mendy was unemployed, lining up at a local job centre and ready to quit football.
— Football Senegal (@FootballSenegal) February 7, 2022
Mendy has gone through some hardship en route to where he is today, as back in 2014 he was left without a team after departing French football fourth-tier side Cherbourg.
“I had unemployment support at that time so I could dedicate myself totally to football,” he said back in 2020.
“But it was incredibly difficult and my partner was expecting our first baby. Unemployment support wasn’t going to be enough for us. We needed something else, so I started looking for other work.
“Then I had the opportunity to go to Marseille and I was given a trial there. It was just a case of giving my all to get the opportunity to join that club. Fortunately for me, it worked and when it did it was a relief for me.”
Mendy played for Marseille’s B team before joining Reims, and at the age of 26, he was finally able to make his debut in Ligue 1.
His performances caught the eye of Rennes, where he stayed for one season before moving to Chelsea in exchange for 21.6 million pounds (24 million euros) in the summer of 2020.
He’s won almost everything in one year
It didn’t take Mendy long to establish himself in Chelsea’s starting line-up ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga, and in just one calendar year he has already managed to win the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and AFCON.
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