Edouard Mendy has announced his retirement from international football, bringing his Senegal career to an end eight days before the team’s next international break.
The 34-year-old Al-Ahli goalkeeper confirmed the decision on Sunday in a video shared on social media. It featured highlights from his time in Senegal’s green, yellow and red, including his debut, the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and the team’s celebrations on their return home.
Mendy reportedly told new Senegal manager Patrick Vieira about his decision before making it public. Vieira is expected to name his first squad shortly.
The goalkeeper will therefore miss Senegal’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Mozambique and Ethiopia on 25 and 29 September respectively, as well as the friendly against Comoros in Marseille on 4 October.
Mendy was first called up in September 2018 and made his debut under Aliou Cisse on 17 November that year in a 1-0 win against Equatorial Guinea in qualifying for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Initially competing with Alfred Gomis for the position, Mendy established himself as Senegal’s first choice in June 2021 after impressing for Chelsea. Those performances had helped him win the Champions League a few weeks earlier.
He remained the national team’s regular goalkeeper from that point onwards, apart from periods when he was injured or rested. He kept his place after Pape Thiaw took charge, including during the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in January.
At the request of the former manager, Mendy and his team-mates left the pitch at Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat to protest against a penalty awarded to Morocco in stoppage time. After a 15-minute interruption and scenes of disorder, the players returned following an intervention from Sadio Mane.
Mendy then saved Brahim Diaz’s Panenka penalty. Reports subsequently suggested there had been an understanding between the Senegal goalkeeper and the Moroccan player, but Mendy firmly denied the claims.
Senegal won the match after extra time, but were stripped of the title two months later after Morocco’s appeal was upheld by the Confederation africaine de football (CAF). Mendy nevertheless presented the trophy to supporters during Senegal’s June friendlies, intensifying the dispute while the case awaits a ruling from the Tribunal arbitral du sport (TAS).
His final appearance for the Lions came in Senegal’s 3-2 defeat by Norway on 23 June at the 2026 World Cup. Mendy went off injured after an hour in the second group-stage match and did not play again at the tournament.
A knee injury meant he watched from the bench as Senegal beat Iraq 5-0 on 26 June to reach the last 16, before losing 3-2 after extra time to Belgium on 1 July.
The Federation senegalaise de football (FSF) paid tribute to Mendy, who won 59 caps for his country.