da dobrowin： Everything you need to know about the Dutch superstar!

da imperador bet： Memphis Depay is a Dutch professional footballer who is a forward for La Liga club Atletico Madrid and the Netherlands national team. He was born in Moordrecht, Netherlands, on February 13, 1994.

Memphis began his football journey at a young age, joining the youth academy of his local club, VV Moordrecht. His talent quickly caught the attention of scouts, leading to his move to the esteemed youth academy of PSV Eindhoven in 2006. He rose through the ranks, impressing with his performances and eventually making his senior debut for PSV in 2011 at 17.

During his time at PSV, Memphis showcased his immense potential, playing a pivotal role in PSV's Eredivisie title triumph, scoring 22 goals in 30 league appearances and earning the top scorer award. His impressive performances also attracted the attention of top European clubs.

In 2015, the then-teenager secured a move to Manchester United in the Premier League. However, his time at the club did not go as smoothly as expected. He struggled to adapt to the demanding nature of English football and faced inconsistent form. After two seasons with limited playing time, he joined Olympique Lyonnais in France in January 2017.

Memphis' move to Lyon revitalised his career. He flourished in Ligue 1, becoming the focal point of the French outfit's attack. Known for his dribbling skills, pace, and powerful shooting, he consistently delivered impressive performances, contributing with goals, and assists. Depay's time at Lyon also saw him develop as a leader, serving as the team's captain and guiding them to multiple top-four finishes in the league.

In 2021, the 29-year-old joined FC Barcelona on a free transfer. It began well for him as a regular joining forces with his former national team coach Ronald Koeman – scoring 12 league goals in his first season – but he became a bit-part player under new boss Xavi Hernandez, who preferred other attackers.

He then joined Barca's La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid for a nominal €4m fee in search of regular playing time in January 2023. However, he has endured an injury-plagued second half of the season.

Memphis has represented the Netherlands national team since 2013 on the international stage. He first burst onto the scene at the 2014 World Cup, and has been a regular fixture in the senior squad ever since, leading their attack in major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup (2022) and the UEFA European Championship (2020).

But what are the 13 things you absolutely need to know about the Dutch attacker?

Tough upbringing led to him selling drugs

The Dutch star has had a difficult journey to the top. He did not have a carefree childhood there at his hometown, Moordrecht. His Ghanaian father, Dennis, left the family when Memphis was three years old. His mother, Cora Schensema, remarried in 2002 to a neighbour. But things didn't go well either: when his stepfather won the lottery, he too disappeared. His mother spent several months in a mental health centre and Depay lived with his maternal grandparents.

There he forged his personality during an unconventional and challenging childhood. Being a withdrawn and untrusting child, he had constant fights with his all too many stepbrothers, which did not help him to open up to others.

He ended up being involved in drugs and hanging out with criminals for a short time, but his football talent came to his rescue once more. When he turned 15, Memphis decided to quit school and concentrate on his career as a footballer.

AdvertisementCould've signed for Liverpool

A young Memphis was attracting widespread attention, following a campaign that saw him score 28 goals and set up another eight in 40 games for PSV Eindhoven in 2014/15, when the Reds emerged as leading candidates ahead of Manchester United and PSG.

Memphis was all set to join Liverpool from PSV in 2015 for a fee of €30m, and then Reds boss Brendan Rodgers praised him as a very talented player, confirming that Liverpool need a goal threat for the following season. But a confusing approach saw the deal fall through, as the club decided to focus on Christian Benteke instead.

Getty ImagesWhy Memphis doesn’t want to be called by his surname?

So far, you might've noticed one thing in particular while reading this fun facts piece, we've not referred to Memphis by his legal surname Depay. No, that's not a mistake or an accident. That's because the forward has already made it clear that he does not want to be referred to by that name due to his family history.

Footballers carry stories of perseverance and grit. Dutch forward Memphis is one of them, as he has a big reason not to use his surname on the back of his jersey or even his Twitter profile (@Memphis).

Speaking to the BBC following his decision to drop his surname in 2012, he said of his Ghanaian father, who abandoned him: “I will never forgive him.

“Do not call me Depay, call me Memphis. No, I don’t want to explain exactly what happened at home because I don’t want to make people feel ashamed. And that’s how it will remain because I’ve already moved on.”

Virgil van Dijk's story is quite similar – Depay's national teammate refused to wear jerseys with his last name since his father was not around for many years and never really contributed to the centre-back's career success.

GettyCR7 is his idol

Cristiano Ronaldo has inspired some of world football's biggest stars over the years, and Memphis is certainly one of them.

Some in his home country even labelled a young Memphis "The Dutch Ronaldo" thanks to his scoring ability, stature and confidence. After signing for Manchester United in May 2015, Memphis revealed Ronaldo was indeed his footballing inspiration.

He told BBC Sport: “It’s an honour to have a name like that but you have to be real and I am down to earth,”

“He is my idol and a big, big player – maybe the biggest in the world. I watched him a lot. I look at his free-kicks and how he moves.”