Memphis Depay #10

Profile

Memphis initially played with the name Depay on the back of his shirt, but in 2012 decided to drop his father’s surname, because he had walked out on the family when his son was four. A difficult childhood has been reflected in sometimes erratic behaviour. He famously drew criticism from animal rights groups in 2020 when he posted photos of himself with a baby liger, a cross between a lion and a tiger. He’s also known for his fashion, his music career, his in-play white headband and his skill move, standing on the ball with both feet. He did it during a Corinthians game against Palmeiras last year, resulting in a mass brawl. Brazil’s FA later said the move would be a yellow card offence in future, because it represents “provocation to a rival, and disrespects the game”. The documentary With Both Feet showed another side of him, centred on the enormous willpower it took to recover from a cruciate ligament injury in 2019. After mixed spells in Europe, including Manchester United and Barcelona, he moved to Brazil in 2024. During the World Cup qualifiers he left his passport at home in Brazil, missed his flight and arrived late. Typical Memphis, said his critics. But he remains the national side’s all-time top scorer, and a valuable part of this squad.

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