Édouard Mendy: AFCON triumph was ’10 times better’ than Champions League win

Former Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy says winning the Africa Cup of Nations was the greatest achievement of his football career – even surpassing his Champions League success with Chelsea.

Mendy was part of the Senegal side that won the country’s first AFCON title in 2022, beating Egypt on penalties in the final in Yaoundé.

The triumph came about eight months after he had helped Chelsea win the Champions League, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the 2021 final.

However, Mendy says the two achievements cannot be compared because of the significance of Senegal’s historic success.

“[Winning AFCON] was the best moment of my football career: it was 10 times better [than the Champions League],” Mendy told The Guardian.

“I can compare now because I’ve also won the Asian Champions League twice.

“To win for your club is something really incredible. But you cannot compare with winning for your country, especially when they have never won anything before.

“It happens only once in your life so being part of the team that made history was amazing.”

Mendy believes Senegal have the players to build on that success, with the next generation led by Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara and Aston Villa’s Ibrahim Mbaye.

Camara, who was linked with a move to Chelsea during the summer, has emerged as one of Senegal’s promising young midfielders, while Mbaye is also regarded as part of the country’s emerging talent.

Mendy hopes the pair and their contemporaries can match the achievements of the generation that delivered Senegal’s first major international title.

Senegal’s AFCON victory marked a significant moment in the country’s football history, with Mendy playing a key role throughout the tournament.

His penalty save from Egypt’s Sadio Mané in the final shootout helped Senegal secure the trophy after the match had finished 0-0 following extra time.

For Mendy, the achievement remains particularly special because it represented something larger than individual or club success.

The former Chelsea goalkeeper has since added further continental honours to his collection, winning the Asian Champions League twice, but says none has carried the same emotional significance as Senegal’s AFCON triumph.

Mendy’s comments underline the enduring importance of Senegal’s 2022 victory, which ended decades of disappointment at the Africa Cup of Nations and gave the country its first continental title.