CHELSEA star Edouard Mendy leads the shortlist for this year’s Yachine Trophy.
The coveted award for Goalkeeper of the Year will be presented alongside the main Ballon d’Or prize later this year.
Mendy, 29, has been a revelation at Stamford Bridge following his shock move from Rennes one year ago.
The Senegal international played a crucial role in last term’s Champions League triumph.
And Mendy could now be in line to add to his European Goalkeeper of the Year award from Uefa in August.
But the Chelsea stopper faces stiff competition from nine other elite players.
Mendy’s most likely threat will come from Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was a rock at the back as Italy won Euro 2020.
Indeed, the Italian was named Player of the Tournament after his penalty shootout heroics against England.
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And Donnarumma was equally impressive as he made his Champions League debut for new club Paris Saint-Germain in last month’s 2-0 win over Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions are also represented through Brazil international Ederson.
Considered to be the best ‘sweeper keeper’ out there, Ederson conceded just 32 league goals last season.
And he has only shipped three in the new campaign – the joint-lowest with Chelsea’s Mendy.
There are two other English top flight goalies on the shortlist in Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel and Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez.
Elsewhere, PSG’s second stopper Keylor Navas is nominated along with Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer, as well as Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.
And there are also nods for title winners Samir Handanovic of Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid star Jan Oblak.
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The Yachine Trophy is named in honour of legendary Russian ace Lev Yashin, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1963 and is the only goalie to ever receive the iconic award.
It was only created in 2019 and the current holder, as well as the inaugural winner, is Liverpool’s Alisson Becker.
But there was no nomination for the Brazilian this time around.
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