Édouard Mendy proud to be nominated for Yashin Trophy

Former Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy says being nominated for the Yashin Trophy again is a source of immense pride after a career that has taken him from unemployment to the highest levels of world football.

Mendy was named Fifa’s best goalkeeper in 2021 after playing a key role in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph, but missed out on the Yashin Trophy that year to Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The pair have both been nominated again for this year’s award, with Mendy describing the latest recognition as particularly meaningful given he now plays in Saudi Arabia.

The 34-year-old says the past season was the best of his professional career, after becoming the goalkeeper to win the most major honours during the campaign.

“To be nominated for the Yashin trophy while I play in Saudi Arabia means a lot to me,” Mendy told The Guardian.

“My journey has not been easy – everything is about working hard and being resilient.

“When I see goalkeepers in Senegal wearing the No 16 jersey it makes me so proud. It means that at some point I gave them some inspiration and this is very powerful.”

Mendy, who was born in Normandy, began his professional career with Cherbourg but endured a difficult period after successive relegations.

He spent a year without a club and was close to giving up football before eventually being offered another opportunity by Marseille.

His career subsequently took him to Rennes and Chelsea, where he became a Champions League winner in 2021, before moving to Saudi Arabia.

Mendy also helped Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 and was part of the country’s squad at the 2022 World Cup.

His journey from being unemployed to becoming an international and Champions League-winning goalkeeper has also influenced his work away from football.

Mendy is helping to fund a school in Keur Massar, the hometown of his parents in Senegal, which has recently expanded to accommodate about 200 students.

He is also involved in a scheme supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in the country.

“There is so much talent in Senegal and we have a young population that is very dynamic,” Mendy said.

“That’s why it’s important to give them the opportunity to have a better life.

“When my mum sees the school she is so proud and that is the biggest gift anyone can have.”

For Mendy, the recognition extends beyond individual awards. He says seeing young Senegalese goalkeepers wearing his former number is a reminder of the influence his career has had on the next generation.

The Yashin Trophy nomination therefore represents another chapter in a career that began with uncertainty and has since taken Mendy to the top of the game.