Ferland Mendy Joins Real Madrid After Losing His Dad Aged 11 And Being Told He Would Never Play Again

Ferland Mendy became the latest player unveiled at Real Madrid, after his €48million move from Lyon, and it's been a hell of a journey for him just to get to the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid have already been busy in the transfer window this summer and on Wednesday left back Ferland Mendy was brought in front of the crowd at the Bernabeu for the first time.

The former Lyon defender is just 24 years old but he's already been through a lot both on and off the pitch.

Mendy, who was born in Meulan-en-Yvelines just north of Paris, tragically lost his father aged 11. Just a year later the defender, who started his footballing career as a striker, found out he had an infection in his hip.

The issue was left to get worse and he eventually ended up with arthritis in his hip and told he wouldn't be able to play football again.

The Frenchman was out of the game for just eight months before returning. He hit another bump in the road aged 17 when PSG decided to let him go from their academy.

In an interview with the Ligue 1 Show Mendy said, "After eight months, I went back to training as usual and I was rubbish. I just wasn't up to it, but I worked really hard, and with time I felt myself getting back to a good level, so I left PSG, and eventually signed for Le Havre."

Before moving to Le Havre he spent a year with amateur side Mantois 78.

His time at Le Havre led to a number of clubs becoming interested in signing him but he moved to Lyon for €5 million plus a possible €1 million in bonuses in June 2017.

Mendy played 59 times in two seasons with Les Gones, which included eight games in the Champions League last season in which he caught the eye in the Group games against Manchester City.

Ferland Mendy at his unveiling. Image: PA Images

That was obviously enough to convince Real to make him part of a recruitment drive this summer that has also seen Luka Jovic, Eden Hazard and Eder Militao join Zinedine Zidane's team.

He will have to get ahead of Marcelo in the pecking order at the Bernabeu but, considering everything he's been through in his life already, that won't be such a difficult task.

Topics: Paul Pogba, Football News, Eden Hazard, Transfer stories, Luka Jović, Marcelo, Ferland Mendy, Transfer news, Lyon, Real Madrid, La Liga, Transfer reports

Ryan Sidle

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