Winner of CAN 2021 with Senegal, Nampalys Mendy has established himself as an essential element of Aliou Cissé’s collective. The Leicester midfielder has yet (practically) not played all season in England.
This is one of the great stories of CAN 2021, and perhaps even of this 2021-2022 season more generally. “It’s something grand. We made a lot of sacrifices to get here and it’s done! We marked the history of our country. » With these words, Nampalys Mendy (29) welcomed the coronation of Senegal on Sunday against Egypt (0-0, 4-3 on tab) in the final of the 2021 African Cup of Nations. This triumph, the first in the history of the Teranga Lions, closely links Senegal and the Leicester midfielder, without whom Sadio Mané might not have won this 33rd edition of the CAN.
Because yes, the one we nicknamed Grandpa Mendy is one of the great architects of this historic Senegalese victory. And yet, hard to imagine that a few weeks ago. The one who now has 13 caps with Senegal has only played 33 minutes with the Foxes since the start of the season, in the round of 16 of the League Cup against Brighton (2-2, 4-2 on pens) on October 27 last. Blame it on a groin injury that kept him away from the field for several weeks, but also on the choices of Brendan Rodgers, who preferred to do without him throughout the first part of the 21-22 exercise.
Nampalys, the other essential Mendy of Senegal
It is therefore lacking in rhythm and with little certainty in the game that Aliou Cissé decided to summon the former player of OGC Nice, bought 15.5 M € by Leicester in the summer of 2016, for this CAN 2021. Nampalys Mendy also saw his selection skate from afar during the first two meetings in Cameroon (1-0 against Zimbabwe, then 0-0 against Guinea). It was only in Senegal’s third game (0-0 against Malawi) that Nampalys Mendy joined the XI, never to leave again and never to miss a single minute of the competition.
Brilliant in the midfield alongside Idrissa Gueye and Cheikhou Kouyaté and displaying a level of form bordering on incredible for a player who has hardly played this season, the native of La Seyne-sur-Mer surprised everyone. And above all conquered a whole people, fell under the spell of “the new sentinel” of Senegal. His technique did a lot of good in front of the defense, just like his volume of play weighed on the collective of the Lions of Teranga. The frantic pace imposed on his opponents left scars on those who crossed his path.
In the typical CAN 2021 team, Mendy could come back very strong in England
“I knew my situation very well at the club. It’s very complicated, very difficult. Mentally… I’m a football fanatic. When I’m deprived of what I love, it’s complicated. I always kept that in mind, this objective, I knew that there was the selection and the CAN. I had the good fortune to be selected despite my situation. I worked very hard during the period when I was not playing. Today it pays off. I’m delighted and I hope it will continue like this.”, confided the main interested party on January 31, during a question and answer game with fans for the Senegalese Football Federation. And this just after a quarter-final against Equatorial Guinea (3-1) which earned him the title of “Man of the match”.
Without ever flinching, Nampalys Mendy will have thus maintained a disconcerting consistency throughout the tournament in Cameroon. A fact that has not escaped CAF. The former Gym protege is indeed in the typical CAN 2021 team, composing the midfield with three with Blati Touré (Burkina Faso) and Mohamed Elneny (Egypt). A beautiful and just reward for a man to whom nothing promised all this not long ago. From now on, the ex-French international Espoirs will be keen to regain his place in Leicester, which has included him on the list of eligible players for the second half of the season in the Premier League. Grandpa Mendy is in any case preparing to return to the King Power Stadium with weighty arguments that could well tip the scales in his favor.
Here is the official XI of the #CAN2021 !You confirm? 🔥📸 @caf_online_FR pic.twitter.com/fW6mDFqr6B
— Foot Transfer market (@footTransfer market) February 7, 2022
