Chelsea Fans Celebrate As Edouard Mendy Named in 5-Man Shortlist for FIFA Best Goalkeeper Award 2021

• Edouard Mendy who has been impressive since joining Premier League club Chelsea last year has been nominated for FIFA Best Goalkeeper Award
• The shot-stopper was crucial in the Blues’ Champions League triumph earlier this year and could bag the award
• Mendy will go head-to-head with five other superstars including Gianluigi Donnarumma who helped Italy win the European Championships

Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has been named in a five-man shortlist for the FIFA best goalkeeper of 2021 award.

The world’s football governing body announced on its website that the award ceremony will hold on January 17, while voting is now open to the public.

The Senegalese national team goalkeeper has been impressive since joining Premier League side Chelsea last year helping them to the Champions League title this year.

Mendy joined Chelsea from Rennes at the beginning of last season and made the number one spot his own soon after under Frank Lampard. As many refer to him as the best goalkeeper, the 29-year-old said via SI.com:

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“At the beginning of my career, I didn’t think that I would be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”

Also on the shortlist is Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who was key to his country’s triumph at the last European championships.

List of nominees:

1. Alisson Becker (Brazil / Liverpool FC)
2. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy / AC Milan / Paris Saint-Germain)
3. Édouard Mendy (Senegal / Chelsea FC)
4. Manuel Neuer (Germany / FC Bayern München)
5. Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark / Leicester City FC)

Ten players listed for FIFA Player of the Year

Meanwhile, the world’s football governing body FIFA has also revealed the candidates shortlisted for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021.

A ten-man list of nominees was unveiled on FIFA website which include Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

The pair have dominated both the FIFA awards and Ballon d’Or in the last one and a half decade, but that of this year will be tightly contested with Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski also on the list.

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Although he was denied the Ballon d’Or last year as the award did not hold due to the spread of the pandemic, Polish star Lewandowski won the Fifa Best Player award last year as he will look forward to winning it again.

Chelsea stars Jorgino as well as N’Golo Kante who both led the Blues to the prestigious Champions League title earlier in the year are also nominated.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that that a sheet has leaked online showing Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski as the winner of the 2021 Ballon d’Or ahead of 25 other superstars.

The award ceremony for this year will hold on November 29 as that of last year was cancelled due to the spread of the pandemic.

Lionel Messi won the 2019 edition of the award after beating Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo to the prestigious award.