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Melvine Malard: From Reunion to Manchester

A training session on a typical Manchester morning can be a gloomy affair. With the sky hanging low and rain always a threat, it is a far cry from the sunshine Melvine Malard grew up with 6,000 miles away on the tiny island of Reunion. But the moment the France forward walks into Carrington, any hint of cloud shifts. Malard has quickly become a cult figure at Manchester United, not just for her impact on the pitch but for the infectious energy she has brought since first arriving at the club on loan in 2023.

"I think I change the energy here," Malard tells BBC Sport. "I like to enjoy football. I like to play free. Football is work but firstly it is the passion and the fans. I think they understand my energy and my vibes."

The 25-year-old's level of enthusiasm is something her team-mates have had to adjust to. "Sometimes I come to the meeting and scream 'Hello everybody!' and everyone replies, 'Mel, calm down!'" she says. "I say, 'Why? I'm coming here, so I'm happy'. Some people are a little bit the same - Jayde Riviere, but not a lot... Millie Turner, sometimes she tries but not the same as me.

"I'm a very happy person and positive. When you're with me, you're not bored!"

Equally as striking as Malard's personality is her journey from the 39 by 28 mile island in the middle of the Indian Ocean to England via a stopover in France - an achievement worth celebrating on International Women's Day. She was only 14 when Sonia Bompastor first spotted her in a tournament in Paris and that brief encounter was enough for the now Chelsea manager to make the call that changed Malard's life.

Eleven years on, Malard will face her former mentor with silverware on the line when United seek the first Women's League Cup in their history against the Blues in the final at Ashton Gate on 15 March. She has been central to United's success this season, helping them to second place in the Women's Super League and into the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League where they will play Bayern Munich later this month.

She has been involved in nine WSL goals for Marc Skinner's side - with only Jess Park having more involvements - while she is also their joint-top scorer in Europe with three. And if that was not enough, Malard has impressed this week for France, scoring twice against Ireland in midweek to help them win 2-1 in Dublin.

Melvine Malard won the FA Cup with Manchester United during the 2023-24 season.

With a population of just 900,000, Reunion is better known for its volcanoes, wildlife and tropical climate rather than professional footballers. On the men's side, former West Ham star Dimitri Payet and Newcastle winger Laurent Robert are two that fans may remember - but those that make it all the way form a short list.

Growing up, Malard tried her hand at boxing, karate, judo and handball before discovering football. "When I tried football, I said 'that is my sport' because I could put in a lot of energy and could play free," she says.

She began playing in the island's capital for Saint-Denis FC before the chance meeting with Bompastor, who was managing the Lyon academy at the time. "She tells me, 'Mel, I like you, come to Lyon'. I had two months to think but I said yes right away because it was a big opportunity in my life," Malard says.

The transition from sunny Reunion to the bitter winters of Lyon all alone at the age of 14 was a shock to her system. "It was so difficult but I knew what I wanted and I knew it was football," she says. "Every morning and every night, I would put my boots on, go to the pitch and I would be happy."

Seizing those early opportunities has paid off handsomely for Malard - three league titles, four Champions League medals and the experience of playing alongside some of the best in the world at Lyon and the France national team. Now, in Manchester, she is continuing to love her experiences - despite that gloomy weather.

"Every time I pass Old Trafford, it's a dream for me," Malard says. "The people are so nice when I play football, singing my name at the stadium. The club is very big, has a lot of history and I enjoy it a lot here."

And it will be a full-circle moment for Malard against Chelsea, managed by Bompastor, in the cup final. "I'm excited, it's good for us and this club deserve that," says Malard, who featured in the 4-0 win against Tottenham in the 2023-24 FA Cup final as United lifted their first major women's trophy.

"I'm also excited to play against my [former] coach. If we win, we put the name again in history and that is what we want. "I'm confident because I believe in this team - I believe in this club. We are here to win everything we can."

Follow the Women's League Cup final on the BBC. Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page