Melvine Malard & Sonia Bompastor: How Chelsea reunion has brought best in France striker

Convincing Malard’s mother to let her daughter move nearly 6,000 miles from home was not straightforward – but Bompastor had a plan for the phone call.

“It’s a lot of responsibility for you as a coach to bring a young player like this and move her from her own family,” Bompastor says.

“The main thing for her mum in that phone call was she knew she could trust me as a manager but also as a woman.”

For teenager Malard, the transition was difficult. She was close to her family and struggled with the bitterly cold winters of Lyon.

Because of its tropical climate, temperatures on Reunion Island rarely drop below 20C even in winter, whereas in Lyon, the mercury remains in low single figures during December and January.

Bompastor still laughs about one particular conversation with the young forward.

“She said to me: ‘I’m so sorry, Sonia, but I think I need to go back to my place. It’s so cold here. I can’t play football any more!'” says Bompastor.

But Malard stuck around, knowing the opportunity was too good to turn down.

“When Lyon calls you, it’s maybe just one time in your life,” she says. “So you need to take your opportunity when it comes.”

Bompastor’s influence extended beyond football. As head of Lyon’s academy, she also kept a close eye on Malard’s education.

“When I did bad in school, she called me,” Malard says. “‘Mel, where are you? The school called me – it’s not good what you’re doing!’

“That was a nightmare – Sonia is always here.”

Their relationship continued as Malard progressed through the ranks and finally broke into Lyon’s first team as a 17-year-old in 2017.

By the time Bompastor had become the club’s head coach for the 2021-22 season, Malard had established herself in the team and at the end of that campaign, she started the Champions League final against Barcelona as Bompastor’s side secured a 3-1 victory.

For the boss, it remains a particularly special memory.

“When you look at all the journey and Melvine coming as a young kid into a different environment, far away from her family… and how she improved to be starting that game and for us to win that game,” Bompastor says. “It’s a big achievement.”