Senegal goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy has been voted winner of FIFA The Best goalkeeper award.
The Chelsea goalkeeper, who is currently with his country at the African Cup of Nations pipped Italy and PSG goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper, Granit Xhaka to the award.
It’s been a sizzling and surreal last 12 months for Mendy, as he helped Chelsea to the Champions League and has been instrumental to the Blues’ improvement under Thomas Tuchel.
According to FIFA, Mendy “became the first African goalkeeper to appear in a European Cup final since 1985 when he started for Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League 2020-21 showpiece in Porto, pocketing a winner’s medal after the success against Manchester City.”
The global football governing body also added that “The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper Award is given to the most outstanding goalkeeper in men’s football as voted for by an international jury comprising the current coaches of all men’s national teams (one per team), current captains of all men’s national teams (one per team), one specialist journalist from each territory represented by a national team and fans registered on FIFA.com.”
Mendy, was until last season plying his trade with French Ligue 1 side, Rennes and has had a miraculous turnaround in fortune in the last few years, with the Champions League winners’ medal and his latest achievement, by far the biggest marks of his career so far.
He’s the first goalkeeper from Africa to win the award since its inception. Mendy in May 2021 also became the first goalkeeper from the continent to win the UEFA Champions League.