Image source, Melvine Malard / Chelsea FCImage caption, Sonia Bompastor was working as Lyon's head of youth development when Melvine Malard played at Clairfontaine
ByAdam Millington, BBC Sport journalist and Jo Currie, Women’s sport reporter- Published15 minutes ago
Thousands of miles from home, a 14-year-old had an encounter that would change her life.
Nestled in a forest about an hour from Paris is France's national football academy at Clairefontaine. Famous for developing global stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Thierry Henry, it is also where a teenage Melvine Malard first met Sonia Bompastor in 2014.
Malard had travelled from Reunion Island, a French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean, to play in a football tournament. Watching from the sidelines was a titan of French football.
Bompastor, a two-time Champions League winner who had become Lyon's head of youth development, spotted the young forward and persuaded her to move to mainland France.
Twelve years later, the pair have been reunited at Chelsea. After joining from Manchester United in July, Malard has already established herself as a key player.
It took just six appearances for the 26-year-old to match her six-goal tally from last season's Women's Super League, helping fill the void left by Sam Kerr's departure.
"I knew she had the potential to be a really good player," Bompastor tells BBC Sport. "Having known her for so long and all the hard work she has put in, I'm really proud of her."
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Watch on iPlayer'It's so cold here!' - Malard's initial thoughts on Europe
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Figure caption,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."
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How Malard has excelled at Chelsea
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Chelsea have had 13 different goalscorers in the WSL this season with Malard's six topping the list
Now reunited with her former boss at Chelsea, Malard has relished the responsibility of leading the line following Kerr's departure.
It took her just 341 minutes to chalk up six league goals for her new club. Last season, despite scoring four in the first two games, it was 17 matches and 1,206 minutes before she hit the same number for Manchester United.
Goals have come alongside frequently getting into dangerous positions.
At United in 2025-26, she averaged 3.4 shots and 6.2 touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes. Those figures have risen to 5.4 and 11.8 respectively at Chelsea.
The quality of her opportunities has also improved. Her expected goals per 90 minutes have more than doubled from 0.5 to 1.1, while her shot conversion rate has increased from 10.5% to 22.2%.
It suggests Malard is benefiting from more opportunities in dangerous areas, while also making better use of the chances that come her way.
Bompastor believes the forward's improvement has been about more than just her goalscoring ability.
"She developed herself in terms of technical skills, knowledge of the game, understanding the game a little bit more, reading the game better," she says.
"She can play in different positions so we know we can use her as a nine or as a winger."
Such versatility has made Malard a valuable option for Bompastor as she chases silverware at home and abroad.
After winning the domestic treble during her first season in 2024-25, Chelsea only picked up the League Cup last season, with their third-placed finish snapping a run of six straight WSL titles.
Nine games into 2026-27, the Blues have the league's best attack and meanest defence, but a disappointing draw at home to Everton last weekend allowed champions Manchester City to overhaul them at the top of the table.
The two sides meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday in a match live on BBC One that could be instrumental in deciding the title.
Malard will likely be leading the line, but Bompastor's ambitions for her former academy prospect are not limited to club level.
When Malard asks what Bompastor hopes she will achieve this season, the Chelsea boss sets her a clear challenge.
"I would like you to play for France next summer as the number nine and to win the World Cup," she says.
Twelve years after their first encounter, Bompastor continues to push Malard to new heights.
