Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy said he 'didn't understand' why he did not crack the top 30 in last year's Ballon d'Or.
The Senegal keeper was one of the standout players in the world and helped guide Chelsea to the Champions League.
Mendy also excelled in the league and in the 20-21 Premier League season, only Manchester City kept more clean sheets than Chelsea.
Since joining the London side in the September 2020, he has kept 25 clean sheets in his 52 league appearances.
For his heroics between the sticks, the 29-year-old was named the Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper but he did not rank within the top 30 players at the Ballon d'Or.
Speaking to French football programme Téléfoot, Mendy said he 'didn't understand' the snub.
'The best response was to stay the course on the pitch to show that my name deserved to be in the top 30.
'I think being African did me a disservice because I didn't play in any international competitions last year.'
Lionel Messi scooped the top honour but just one goalkeeper featured in the final rankings, PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Mo Salah and Riyad Mahrez were the only two African players within the top 30.
