Édouard Mendy, the giant of the Lions celebrated this evening at Léopold Senghor

This evening, the Léopold Sédar Senghor stadium will hold its breath to celebrate one of its heroes. Before the kick-off of Senegal-Sudan, counting for the CAN 2027 qualifiers, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) pays tribute to Édouard Mendy, before the match against Sudan at 7 p.m.

A special moment for the one who has long watched over the Lions’ goals. In the stands, the public is expected in large numbers to salute a journey which has marked the history of Senegalese football. “60 selections, two stars and endless emotions,” summarizes the FSF.

At 34, the goalkeeper has chosen to turn the international page. He announced his retirement in a video retracing his years in the national jersey, accompanied by two words that say a lot about his attachment to the country: “Jërëjëf Senegal”. His last adventure with the Lions ended during the North American World Cup. Hit in the knee against Norway on June 22, he had to give up his place and did not return to the field during the competition. Arriving for the selection in 2018, he will have devoted eight years to the Lions.

Read also: Édouard Mendy retires internationally: a giant leaves the Lair

His club career also tells of a remarkable rise. From Cherbourg to Reims, via Rennes, Édouard Mendy climbed the ranks until joining Chelsea in 2020. In London, he quickly established himself among the best goalkeepers in the world. The Champions League won in 2021, the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup have enriched its record. The same year, FIFA named him the best goalkeeper in the world. Since 2023, he has continued his career at Al-Ahli, in Saudi Arabia, with two crowns in the Asian Champions League.

Decisive during the two CAN coronations

But his greatest emotions remain inseparable from the national jersey. On February 6, 2022, in Cameroon, Senegal won the first CAN in its history against Egypt, at the end of a breathtaking final concluded on penalties. Mendy had largely contributed to this coronation, before being voted best goalkeeper in the competition. A memory that he has always placed very highly in his career, going so far as to say that this victory was “ten times better than the Champions League”.

Read also: Unanimous tributes from the Lions to Mendy after the announcement of his international retirement

He will also have defended the colors of Senegal during the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, as well as at the CAN 2025 in Morocco, the sporting verdict of which remains suspended from the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

It’s difficult, therefore, not to see him as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Lions history. Through his decisive interventions, his composure in moments of tension and his serenity, Mendy was often the last bulwark on which an entire people could count. He reassured, saved and made change the fate of the two coronations in CAN.

This evening, the Léopold Senghor stadium will not only be the scene of a football match. It will also be that of recognition to Edou Mendy. For a goalkeeper who has given so much to the Lions, the applause will inevitably have a special resonance. A great way to salute a giant who marked his era.

Sheikh Gora DIOP