The stat that proves Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy was wrongfully overlooked for the Ballon D’or

Fury as Mendy overlooked for Ballon D’or

When the list of Ballon D’or nominees was released, 5 Chelsea players found their names on the list, but shot-stopper Edouard Mendy was not one of them.

The Senegalese goalkeeper had a stellar campaign last time out, making some crucial saves on the way to Champions League glory, and can feel rightly hard done by not to have made the cut. His teammates at club and national level felt the same, with Kalidou Koulibaly saying:

“We have to do double the work to be well evaluated. It is a shame that Edouard is not one of the nominees. He is the first African goalkeeper to win the Champions League. We have to keep working. He is a very personable person. positive. I’ve already talked to him about this and he will continue to fight to be there. For me, he deserved to have a place in the 30”

Liverpool’s Sadio Mane also chimed in, claiming:

“It’s inadmissible. I don’t understand it. It’s regrettable”.

Before Antonio Rudiger became the most recent to show his bemusement:

Someone explain why he’s not nominated for the ballon d’or 🤔🤔🤔 What a performance… EDOUARD MENDY 💪🏾

— Antonio Rüdiger (@ToniRuediger) October 16, 2021

Stat emerges that proves his brilliance

There are multiple stats that show Chelsea’s defensive prowess, of which Mendy is undoubtedly a part.

Games taken to keep 20 Premier League clean sheets:

David James – 64
Jens Lehmann – 58
David de Gea – 49
David Seaman – 48
Peter Schmeichel – 44
Edouard Mendy – 39#CFC pic.twitter.com/3HMuXIJv8G

— bet365 (@bet365) October 16, 2021

Of course, clean sheets are not always a fair metric to judge a goalkeeper by, given the importance of the defence in front of them.

However, there is one stat that proves, more than anything else, that Mendy’s name should have been on the nominees list for the Ballon D’or this year, and it comes by virtue of his goals prevented this season.

Following his heroics against Brentford, it has emerged that Mendy has prevented 3.1 goals (having conceded 3 from an expected goals of 6.1), which compounds his heroics from last season’s Champions League run.

Based on the shots on target he has faced, Édouard Mendy has prevented more goals than any other ‘keeper in the Premier League so far this season.

The safest pair of hands in the league. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/5PCTOo35vI

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 18, 2021

Even though he was ultimately not nominated, it is clear that as of right now, Edouard Mendy is one of the best goalkeepers in the world.