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Joie De Vivre: Ferland Mendy's Improbable Journey from Wheelchair to Real Madrid

France were seeing out a 1-0 victory over Uruguay in a friendly match at Stade de France in November when the ball came to Ferland Mendy on the hosts' left flank.

The Lyon left-back was making his international debut and, up to that point, he had not put a foot wrong. Displaying huge composure on the ball, he had spent the game gaily skipping down the left wing, regularly coming inside onto his right foot and looking to link up with France's forwards. He already appeared every inch the international footballer.

Hemmed against the left-hand touchline by Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, Mendy used a Cruyff turn to flick the ball back toward his own byline.