Edouard Mendy came to Chelsea as a relative unknown and quickly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
The Senegalese shot-stopper has started from scratch, admitting that he didn't even want to play the position when he was first picking up the game.
Mendy told uefa.com: "I didn't always want to be a goalkeeper, but I didn't have much of a future further up the pitch. I was asked to go in goal, and everything happened naturally after that.
"I've experienced all the divisions in France, from the sixth tier to Ligue 1. In between, there was a period where I was unemployed for a year, age 22.
"Having never been professional, it's difficult to then become a professional footballer, but I worked during that year, I worked twice as hard as the others.
"I had luck on my side and that thankfully paid off. I had the chance to sign for Olympique de Marseille. And I just went up from there.
"After the season cut short by COVID, Chelsea became interested in me, and despite having qualified for the Champions League with Rennes, it was something that I couldn't refuse.
"It was the city where I wanted to live, it was the club where I wanted to play, the colours that I wanted to defend. Rennes understood. I joined Chelsea and it all went well for me."
When all these steps and the sheer effort and talent it takes to go through them and come out on top is taken into account, it is easier to understand what makes the goalkeeper so good.
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