Edouard Mendy's first full season at Chelsea was a huge success.The Senegalese goalkeeper, who was signed last summer from Rennes, played a pivotal role in the club's unexpected Champions League triumph.Mendy kept nine clean sheets in his 12 appearances in the 2020/21 edition of the competition, including one against Manchester City in the final.READ MORE: Euro 2020: News, Groups, Fixtures, Dates, Tickets, Odds And Everything You Need To KnowThe 29-year-old's footballing journey really has been like something out of a Hollywood movie.At the age of 22, Mendy was actually made unemployed after being released by French fourth-tier outfit Cherbourg.A deal with an unknown League One side then collapsed and Mendy was forced to return to boyhood club Le Havre, where he had to train as hard as possible to rebuild his career while not being paid a penny.[gmsStartingEleven url="https://givemesport.starting11.co.uk/2020-07-25/"]It was all worth it, though, as the Senegalese international scored a move to Marseille as the team's fourth-choice 'keeper, before thriving at both Reims and Rennes.Now, he's a Champions League winner and a national hero, the latter proven by the reception he received when reporting for international duty.Footage of the Chelsea shot-stopper being congratulated and hugged by his Senegal teammates - including Liverpool's Sadio Mane - has done the rounds on social media and it's just brilliant to watch.Check it out for yourself below.

Mendy receives a hero's welcome

Well played, Edouard. From unemployment to a Senegalese icon - what a story, eh?

Following his impressive debut campaign with Chelsea, Mendy has made it clear that he will still be looking at ways to improve his overall game.

"I don't set limits for myself. I try to be better and improve every day," he told Goal.

"When you're in a team like Chelsea, you have to keep in mind that you have to improve and play well. This is the only way you can win titles and impose yourself over time.

"I am very proud and very happy to have lived this moment, it is something rare in the career of a player.

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"We had built up a lot of confidence since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel. In particular against Manchester City, as we had beaten them twice. We knew we were better than them physically.

"In the stats, in the data, we were superior to them. We knew that we had to play the perfect game to win this trophy. And, tactically, we played the perfect game."