Edouard Mendy’s Ballon d’Or snub starts accusations of African disrespect at awards

Edouard Mendy’s scorn for the best goalkeeper at the Ballon D’Or has started claims the honors don’t regard African football.

The Chelsea goalkeeper was outstanding last season to assist his with siding to the Champions League title. He has proceeded with his form this season with the Blues top of the Premier League and impressing in the defend of the world class European club prize.

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However, he was beaten to the Lev Yashin grant by Italy’s European Championship-winning international Gianluigi Donnarumma – notwithstanding Senegalese international Mendy’s superior clean sheet record.

Former Newcastle defender Habib Beye, presently manager of French club Red Star FC, lashed out at the voting. He said: “It is because he is African and Senegalese.

“His national team doesn’t shine like Italy can these days in the mass media. These days, the belief is, and even managers say it, that the AFCON is a small tournament and all these things mean we don’t recognise an African international…like you recognise a European or Italian international like Donnarumma.

“We’ve rewarded one month of competition and a goalkeeper who was transferred. Edouard Mendy has been better than Donnarumma over 12 months”.

“Why give more value to the Euros than the Champions League? What’s an exceptional year?

“An exceptional year is 12 months and not just one. Let’s stop this hypocrisy to say that there’s the Euros and that it’s an exceptional year. Over 12 months, Edouard Mendy is the best goalkeeper in Europe. It’s not even a debate.

“The reality is that you’ve seen the statistics. The number of clean sheets by Edouard Mendy is far greater than Donnarumma’s. “