The Senegal international, Chelsea star recently became the first African goalkeeper to win the European Super Cup on 12th August 2021. He is also the first African keeper to play in the final of this competition since the iconic Zimbabwean goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar (Liverpool) versus Juventus in 1985.
The 29-year-old also became the first African goalkeeper to play in the final of the Champions League, having made the line-up against Manchester City on May 29, 2021. He spearheaded Chelsea to win it and also kept the post for Chelsea for 120 minutes before being substituted in the finals of the Uefa super cup for 2021.
This incredible achievement was not without struggles. High and dry and unemployed at 22, Mendy had the right to despair but instead redoubled his efforts, with spells at Marseille, Reims and Rennes teeing him up for a move to Stamford Bridge in September 2020.
In an interview with Uefa.com on 11th August 2021, He said, “I didn’t always want to be a goalkeeper, but I didn’t have much of a future further up the pitch. I was asked to go in goal, and everything happened naturally after that.
I’ve experienced all the divisions in France, from the sixth tier to Ligue 1. In between, there was a period where I was unemployed for a year, [at] age 22. Having never been professional, it’s difficult to then become a professional footballer, but I worked during that year, I worked twice as hard as the others. I had luck on my side and that thankfully paid off. I had the chance to sign for Olympique de Marseille. And I just went up from there “.
