The moment we’ve been waiting for nearly four and a half years is just around the corner. Qatar 2022 starts in almost two weeks, but the FIFA World Cup isn’t just about the game itself. It’s also about the stories behind each player, like Memphis Depay.
The Dutch national team, who had failed to qualify for Russia 2018, is heading to Qatar with high aspirations after a remarkable campaign in the qualifiers, in which the Barcelona forward shone. Starting in all 10games for theNetherlands in the European qualifiers group stage, Depay was a key contributor by having a hand in 18 goals (12 goals and six assists).
But before he helped his country return to a World Cup, the 28-year-old had to overcome many obstacles in his life. One of them has to do with the reason why Memphis doesn’t use his last name (Depay) on his back.
The reason Memphis Depay doesn’t want to use his last name on his jersey
If you watched Memphis throughout his career, you may have noticed one particular thing: his jersey never read Depay. Unfortunately, it isn’t because he simply prefers to use his first name.
Many years ago, the Dutch starexplained the reasonhe doesn’t want to wear his last name on his back is because his Ghanaian father abandoned the family when Memphis was only four.
“There is no turning back. He has tried to establish contact with me, but I have no relationship with him nor his family. I don’t want to explain exactly what happened at home because I don’t want to give people grief. I have already turned the page,” Depay told the BBC, as quoted by Goal in Spanish.
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Being abandoned by his father was followed by another traumatic experience when hisDutch mother moved with another man, as Memphis received constant beatings by his stepbrothers. A damaged kid, Depay had a hard time to open up about his feelings and eventually was tagged for his misbehaving.
Memphisfound in soccer not only his passion but alsoa way to overcome his problems from the past, making something clear in every team he’s played for: he wants to be Memphis, not Depay.
Will he have a World Cup to remember this year in Qatar?Using this World Cup Predictor, you can see every potential outcome of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
