Memphis
Depay
Netherlands
·
Soccer
Date of birth | 13 February 1994 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Moordrecht |
Age | 32 |
Nationality | Netherlands |
Career start | 2011 |
Disciplines | Soccer (standard) |
Memphis Depay started his football career at his hometown club VV Moordrecht at a young age, where his talent quickly stood out. At the age of nine, he was scouted by professional club Sparta Rotterdam, for whom he went on to play for various youth teams.
When he was 12, Memphis made the switch to PSV Eindhoven and his development was swift there, too, progressing through all of the PSV youth teams at a rapid pace.
Early success with PSV
On September 21, 2011, at the age of 17, he made his debut in professional football during a KNVB Cup match against VVSB, scoring twice in his debut match.
In February 2012, he made his debut in the Eredivisie against Feyenoord and a month later his first Eredivisie goal arrived (against SC Heerenveen). In 2015, he won the title with PSV and also became top scorer in the Eredivisie.
Excelling in Europe's top leagues
Before the start of the 2015/2016 season, Manchester United bought Memphis from PSV, but it was an unsuccessful spell in his career. He soon got back on track, though, when he switched to France to play for Lyon, where he scored 63 goals in 139 appearances between 2017 and 2021.
His form for Lyon saw La Liga giants Barcelona snap Memphis up in June 2021, before La Liga title rivals Atlético Madrid swooped in to take Memphis to the Spaish capital on a two-year contract in January 2023.
Winning titles in Brazil
In September 2024, Memphis joined Brazilian side Corinthians on a two-year contract and made an immediate impact. He helped the club avoid relegation in the Brasileirão before then helping them win the Paulista Championship – helping the club end a six-year long trophy drought.
He then played a crucial role as the club won the Copa do Brasil for the fourth time in their history.
Making history with the Netherlands
In addition to a successful club career, Memphis has been a vital member of the Netherlands team ever since he made his debut in 2013. The following year he became the youngest Dutchman to score a goal at a World Cup as the Netherlands finished in third place.
During the 2020 European Championship, Memphis scored twice in four games before going on to equal Johan Cruyff's goalscoring tally for the Netherlands. In 2025, Memphis scored his 49th and 50th international goals to become joint top goalscorer for his country. He then made the record his own when hitting his 51st goal for the Oranje – a record which he has now extended to 55 goals.
Musical interests
Outside of football, Memphis has enjoyed a successful career as a recording artist. He's released several rap songs, singles and projects, including the 2020 album Heavy Stepper and the 2025 EP Falando com as Favelas.