Melvine Malard reunites with Sonia Bompastor at Chelsea and aims to become a legend
Full-circle reunion at Stamford Bridge
Melvine Malard is rarely seen without a grin, and the French forward has plenty of reasons to keep smiling. A wedding in June, a big-money move to Chelsea, a Ballon d’Or nomination and a first London derby against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday have all arrived in quick succession.
"Goals," Malard says with a laugh when asked what keeps her happy. "Seriously though, it’s seeing the kids, the families, my family, in the stands. It is crazy. I love my life, I love my job, I’m happy with my wife and everything is good. I smile because of those things, because I’m happy."
From Réunion to Clairefontaine
The 26-year-old grew up on Réunion, a small island east of Madagascar that is now an overseas department of France. "It’s a little island with a lot of people smiling, good life and good food," she says. Girls did not really play football there, but Malard paved the way: "I’m very proud of that; it’s a good feeling."
She started playing later than most, at six or seven, after trying "literally every other sport". The love of the game was instant, "partly because it’s a team sport and I loved that you get to enjoy it with everyone in your team and then I also found I felt both strong and free when I play football. I have to play with a lot of energy and a lot of smiles."
At 14 she caught the eye of Sonia Bompastor at an under-15s match at France’s national football centre in Clairefontaine. Bompastor, then in charge of Lyon’s academy, persuaded Malard’s mother to allow the teenager to move more than 5,600 miles. Malard hasn’t looked back, though home is far from forgotten.
"Everywhere I go and wherever I think about where I’m from, I want to show where I’m from and I want to give back and just make everyone proud of me."
Why Chelsea was the next step
Signing for Chelsea from Manchester United this summer was a full-circle moment, reuniting her with the manager who first gave her a pathway at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
"I will never forget Manchester United," Malard says. "They helped me make a change in my life when I really needed change." She has a lot of love for people at the club, but wanted an environment that matched her ambitions.
"Of course, it’s for that reason that I’m here. I don’t want to lose any time in my career. Football moves quickly and sometimes you need to make the choice that is best for your career. I think coming here was a good choice. At Chelsea, there are clear ambitions: to win the game, win the trophies and raise the level higher. That is where I need to be."
Learning from a legend
Bompastor’s pursuit was a vote of confidence in Malard as a player and person. "She knows my qualities, my energy, my personality and she knows what I need to learn and where I need to progress," Malard says.
"It’s not just about Sonia as a manager," she adds. "Sonia is also a legendary player, [her assistant and partner] Camille Abily also. They played football, they know football and when they speak with me I can’t say anything because they know more than me. That can help you progress a lot, they set the level you know you need to be at to become a legend."
Writing a new page in the Champions League
Legacy matters to Malard. She wants to become a legend at Chelsea and believes the Champions League is the route.
"I want to write my name on a new page, but not any page, a page you remember. For me, the way to do that with Chelsea is to win something the club has never won.."
She made an immediate impact off the bench in the 5-2 home win over Real Sociedad in qualifying, scoring twice including the first after coming on at 2-2. "It felt good, very good," she says. "I think it’s because of my personality too. I’m not a player that is difficult to play when things aren’t going to plan. I’m the player that puts energy into every area on and off the pitch."
After a frustrating injury spell, she returned to score in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Birmingham and featured in the 1-0 win over Austria Vienna.
Sitting by the Shed End sign in the royal blue Stamford Bridge seats, Malard is excited for the Arsenal derby: "All players want to play this game. You train hard for these games against big teams in big stadiums with lots of fans waiting for you to play and score. I can’t wait."
"When I look at the little girl from that island today playing for Chelsea and nominated for the Ballon d’Or, it’s a lot for me to take in, and a lot for my family," she says. "It gives me the motivation to continue this way and, I’m very proud of myself."