Chelsea's Melvine Malard: 'Football is the last sport I tried'
Melvine Malard says it was her childhood dream to become a professional football player. She tried her hand at judo, boxing and handball until finding her passion: football. Subscribe to Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball?subconfirmation=1 The France international joined Manchester United on loan for one season before making the move permanent in 2024. In July, Chelsea closed in on a deal to sign the forward for a club-record sale for Manchester United, understood to be about £850,000. Signing for Chelsea was a full circle moment for the forward, reuniting her with the manager who plucked her from her island life in Réunion, Sonia Bompastor, and gave her the chance to pursue her dream at the biggest club in Europe. Read more: ‘Island girl’ Malard aims to become a legend with Bompastor at Chelsea ► https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/26/womens-super-league-chelsea-girl-from-island-melvine-malard-sees-reunion-sonia-bompastor-way-become-legend?CMP=ytgf The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://support.theguardian.com/ Guardian Football Weekly: https://www.tiktok.com/@guardianfootballweekly https://www.instagram.com/guardianfootballweekly/ Website ► https://www.theguardian.com Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/theguardian Bluesky ► https://bsky.app/profile/sport.theguardian.com Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/guardiansport/ The Guardian on YouTube: The Guardian ► https://www.youtube.com/@theGuardian Football Weekly podcast ► https://www.youtube.com/@FootballWeeklyPodcast Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@GuardianAustralia Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport MelvineMalard Chelsea WSL SoniaBompastor Malard ManUtd
Transcript
Football is like the last the last sport I tried. I tried everything. They like Judo, like box and I played a lot on ball with my sister. And after yes, I tried football and I I said [music] oh, that's is good. That's give me like personality, give me big mentality also because I play I want to play with [music] boy and also when you play boy you want to to be better and and I think >> [music] >> but this part of my journey is like what I want to to show. So like I'm not the best but I >> [music] >> I can be here because I deserve a bus. >> [music]