New Senegal head coach Patrick Vieira attempted to persuade Edouard Mendy to reverse his international retirement, but the 34-year-old goalkeeper has confirmed his decision to step away from the Teranga Lions. Mendy, who earned 59 caps, had announced his intention to end his national team career following the 2026 World Cup.
Vieira, appointed this summer, personally called the Al-Ahli shot-stopper to outline his plans. "Patrick called me and explained his project, his vision and my importance in his vision," Mendy revealed. While moved by the approach, the goalkeeper explained his own reasoning to the French coach.
Mendy requested time to think before delivering his final answer. "I asked him for some time to reflect." he said. Mendy believed it was better for the new group, which must rebuild after a first-round World Cup exit, to establish itself quickly without the disruption of his potential continued presence or eventual departure.
The confirmation comes as Senegal, third in their World Cup group with three points, prepares to resume action. The Lions will host Mozambique on September 25th, a key fixture to restart their campaign after a tough run of five games yielding one win, one draw, and three defeats. The squad will be without several players, including the injured Antoine Mendy and Habib Diarra. Fans can track the team's preparation and squad list on our squad page and view the full schedule of upcoming fixtures on our fixtures calendar.
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