Nampalys Mendy (born 23 June 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Ligue 1 club Lens.

Due to his small stature, simple distribution, and reliable style of play, Mendy has been compared to former French international, Claude Makélélé.

However, while observing Mendy in training, Christophe noticed the player's intelligence and understanding of the game and recommended him to Dominique Bijotat, who was serving as head of the Monaco youth academy.

[11] Despite calling Manchester United his "dream club", Mendy rejected the move to the English side because he wanted to stay in France.

[18] On 3 July 2016, Mendy moved to English Premier League champions Leicester City, managed by his former boss at Monaco, Claudio Ranieri, signing a four-year deal for £13 million, a club record at the time.

[22] Mendy played his first competitive game for Leicester in a 2–1 defeat to Manchester United in the 2016 FA Community Shield on 7 August, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute for Andy King.

[24][25] Mendy was sidelined for more than three months,[26] and did not make his return until 7 December 2016 in a Champions League group stage match away to Porto, playing the entire game in a 5–0 defeat.

[37] Mendy was initially called up to the under-19 team in August 2010 only to play in the Sendai Cup in Japan, but due to his consistent performances domestically, Monaco coach Guy Lacombe convinced Bergeroo to make him a permanent part of the squad.

[45] Mendy played in all four of Senegal's matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as the nation reached the round of 16 for the first time since its debut in 2002.

Despite his age and size, Mendy has been praised for his mature and robust play, inviting comparison with former France international Claude Makélélé.