Courtesy: Kenyan News
Since joining Chelsea in September, Mendy has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, keeping 16 clean sheets in 31 games. Chelsea will be hoping that the 29-year-old has fully healed from a rib injury suffered on the final day of the season to face City in the Champions League final in Porto on Saturday.
His first professional contract was with third-tier French side Cherbourg and when that deal ended in 2014 came the worst period of his life so far.
“When I found myself unemployed, it was very difficult, it lasted about a year and there were a lot of moments of doubt and a lot of times when you want to stop, but with the support of the family and then the faith in yourself, you manage to push your limits.”
“And supporting yourself and your family is very complicated. Luckily there was my sister who lives in London, my big brother, my two little brothers, my partner of course, and without forgetting my parents.
In 2015, he joined Marseille as a fourth-choice keeper, and his performances for the reserves drew interest from other clubs.
Despite Marseille offering him a contract extension as a back-up keeper, Mendy elected to move to Ligue 2 side Reims, where he stayed three seasons and helped them gain promotion to the top flight.
Mendy is just the fourth African goalkeeper to play in the English Premier League since its launch in 1992 after Zimbabwe’s Bruce Grobbelaar, Nigeria’s Karl Ikeme, and Ghana’s Richard Kingson.
The Senegalese stopper is fully aware of the influence he can have on future African keepers.
“It’s a responsibility for me, to not just be good, but to give my best and to be the best I can every weekend, to prove that African goalkeepers can establish themselves in the Premier League,” he enthused.
“This is something that is close to my heart because considering my journey. It gives me even more strength to succeed. And – I hope anyway – to pave the way for other goalkeepers.”
The Senegal goalie might become the first African goalie to win the Champions League since Zimbabwe’s Bruce Grobbelaar won the European Cup with Liverpool in 1984.