Edouard Mendy, the former Chelsea goalkeeper, has revealed that winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was a greater achievement for him than clinching the UEFA Champions League title. Mendy, who was instrumental in Chelsea's 1-0 victory against Manchester City in the Champions League final in 2021, stated that while both victories are significant, his experience with Senegal's first AFCON win holds more personal value.
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"Winning AFCON was the best moment of my football career: it was 10 times better [than the Champions League]," Mendy told the Guardian. He noted that representing his country, especially in a historic win, is incomparable to club success.
After the Champions League triumph, Mendy helped Senegal secure the AFCON title eight months later, defeating Egypt on penalties. He had aimed to win a second AFCON title last year but faced an unexpected turn of events. Senegal's match against Morocco, which they won 1-0 in extra time, was controversially forfeited after a VAR decision, resulting in a 3-0 ruling in favor of Morocco by the Confederation of African Football.
The case is currently under appeal, with a preliminary hearing scheduled at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland next month. If successful, it could mark a second AFCON title for Mendy, who retired from international duty earlier this month.
Mendy also revealed that new Senegal manager Patrick Vieira sought to convince him to continue his international career. However, he ultimately decided to retire, feeling it was time to step away from the national team.