Memphis Depay, a Dutch forward, may not be playing for his ancestral home, Ghana, as a professional player, but his passion for the West African country is undeniable.
Note that Depay was born in Moordrecht, Netherlands, in 1994 to Dennis Depay, a Ghanaian father, and Cora Schensema, a Dutch mother. He was born and raised in the Netherlands and chose to represent the Oranje on the international stage.
Memphis Depay has been visiting Ghana for a few years now to do charitable work. And when he arrived in the West African country for vacation this summer, the atmosphere was like a mini-festival. He was greeted with a resounding welcome at the Kotoko international airport.
Depay established charitable organizations in Ghana to carry out a variety of tasks. In 2019, he paid his first visit to Ghana, donating athletic equipment to the Cape Coast Deaf and Blind School and the Ghana Blind Sports Association. Depay has been to Ghana on a few occasions since then to continue his wonderful work for the less privileged.
Memphis Depay’s breakthrough in professional football came with PSV Eindhoven, and in the summer of 2015, he signed a dream transfer to Manchester United.
After a poor season with the Red Devils, the winger moved to Lyon and is now playing for Barcelona, where he has 12 goals in 38 games.
Depay may not have played for the Ghanaian national team, but has strong ties with the West African country which make it easier for him to visit the country more often.
The Dutchman is now the Netherlands’ deputy captain and has been one of the team’s top players in recent years.
Depay stole the show on Tuesday, scoring a last-minute winner in the UEFA Nations League as Louis van Gaal’s team defeated Wales 3-2.
Just 48 hours after playing for the Netherlands, he flew with his private team to Ghana to enjoy some days out of his summer break and to also give back to the motherland.
It might interest you to note that the former Manchester United player is also a rapper who does more rap freestyle. Memphis has long had a desire for freestyle rapping, which has gotten him into some trouble over the years.
Memphis’ early affiliation with Dutch rap duo Rotterdam Airlines irritated his then-boss Fred Rutten, who believed that the teenager would struggle in both football and rap with his concentration split.
‘Five Milli,’ his most recent freestyle rap, is a dedication to the supporters who have helped him surpass five million Instagram followers. The winger opens the celebratory track by admitting that his fans have been following his journey and goes on to indicate that his new contract will be even more lucrative after lighting and puffing on a cigar.
