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Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has slammed France Football for not including Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy on the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist.
Mendy, who represents Senegal on the international stage alongside Mane, had an incredible last season with Chelsea.
In 44 appearances for the Blues across all competitions, Mendy conceded just 29 goals and kept 25 clean sheets, helping them win the UEFA Champions League.
The Chelsea shot-stopper was also named UEFA goalkeeper of the year. However, he was snubbed from the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist, which hasn't gone down well with Mane.
“It is unacceptable. I do not understand,” Mane said following Senegal’s 4-1 World Cup qualification win over Namibia.
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Apart from Mane, Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly was also left surprised by the Chelsea goalkeeper's exclusion from the list. He said:
“It’s a real shame that Edou isn’t one of them. He is the first African goalkeeper to win the Champions League. We must continue to work and move forward. We have to do the double [the work] of some people to be well judged.
“Edou is a very positive person. We talked about it together. He will continue to fight to be part of it. For me, he has a place among these 30 players.”
"There will always be debates" - Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy on his exclusion from the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist
Though Mendy wasn't included in the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, he is among the 10 goalkeepers nominated for the 2021 Lev Yashin trophy.
The Chelsea star seems unfazed by his exclusion, saying there will always be debates with regards to the Ballon d'Or voting. He said after Senegal's win over Namibia on Tuesday:
“Honestly I am already very proud to represent my country and be among the 10 best goalkeepers in the world. In just one year [at Chelsea], it’s a very good thing. I’m not satisfied with that, I have a lot of ambitions but it’s already a good step.
“There will always be debates, whether it’s about me or someone else. It is down to the freedom of the votes of the [Ballon d’Or] journalists and they must be respected.”
