Eduoard Mendy (33, Al-Ahli) emphasized that his choice to go to Saudi Arabia was motivated not by money but by the desire for trophies.
Mendy said in an interview with 'BBC Sports' on the 27th (Korea time), "It is not true that players in Saudi Arabia decide to transfer solely for money."
Mendy transferred to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli after leaving Chelsea in the summer of 2023. The transfer fee was $16 million (approximately 29.7 billion won). The following year, he contributed to Al-Ahli's victory in the AFC Champions League. He became one of the few players to win both the Champions League in Europe and Asia.
In this interview, he said, "The project at Al-Ahli gave me confidence that I had an important role. After two years, we won the AFC Champions League for the first time in the club's history. My choice to go to Saudi Arabia was the right one."
He explained, "People easily say that I went to Saudi Arabia solely for the money. But I transferred because I wanted another trophy. At the time, I felt that achieving that goal (winning) was no longer possible at Chelsea."
In fact, Chelsea won the UEFA Europa Conference League in the 2023-2024 season after Mendy's transfer, but had been trophyless for the previous two years.
Meanwhile, Mendy, who is building his career in Saudi Arabia, is continuing various social contribution activities in his home country of Senegal. He recently sponsored the Yakar school in the Keur Massar area on the outskirts of Dakar. This institution helps underprivileged children receive digital education.
Growing up in France, Mendy struggled as an unsigned player until he was 22. That experience formed his attachment to the word "hope."
Mendy said, "Hope was the greatest force that supported my career. During the times when I had no club, I had the hope of dreaming of a professional contract, and later I had the dream of becoming a national representative. Hope is the word that best describes my life."
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