Absence from Ballon d'Or shortlist motivates me, reveals Edouard Mendy

Mendy was instrumental during Chelsea's Champions League run as he equaled the record of most clean sheets in a Champions League season by keeping nine clean sheets. A total of 30 players are typically included in the shortlist for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award and this year's edition only contains one goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma who was rewarded for his heroics in helping Italy win the Euro 2020 over the summer. The Chelsea goalkeeper missed out on being named in the final candidates for the award and expressed his disappointment in not being named.

"It's something that motivates me and pushes me to work. Honestly, I am wondering If I had played for France and had taken part in the [European Championships], would we have this debate and this reflection? "Do I think it's an injustice? No, I wouldn't use that word. It's something that motivates me to go forward, to work and to perform at club level and with my country. As I said after the game with the national team, it's the journalists' freedom of vote and expression, and they vote honourably and conscientiously," Mendy told Canal Plus.