The story of Memphis Depay, the son of Dennis Depay and Cora Schensema, is one of the most heartfelt we’ve ever told among football players’ histories. His childhood was marked by difficulties and bold decisions that enriched his status as both a footballer and a person. Born to a Ghanaian father and a Dutch mother in the village of Moordrecht, young Memphis witnessed his parents’ marriage deteriorate. When he was four, his father walked out on the family, leaving them to fend for themselves.
Growing up without a father, Memphis turned to rapping at events to earn money and support his mother. As a football fan, he also played occasionally. His passion for the game eventually led him to a difficult choice between music and soccer. Memphis chose football, and since then, he has never looked back.
The Heartfelt Story of Memphis Depay: From Troubled Childhood to Football Stardom
We present the Full Story of a Dutch Football Legend of Ghanaian family Origins best known by the Nickname; “Dream Chaser”.
Our Memphis Depay Childhood Story and Untold Biography Facts provide a comprehensive account of notable events from his childhood to the present day.
This analysis of the Dutch football legend delves into his life before fame, family life, and many lesser-known facts about him both on and off the pitch.
Football is a golden tree, a place where millions of youth have found shade and solace away from their troubled reality and will continue to do so.
For Memphis Depay, the story wasn’t much different. Now, without further ado, let’s dive into the meat and potatoes of Depay’s story.
Memphis Depay Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:
For Biography starters, Memphis Depay was born on the 13th of February 1994 in Moordrecht, Netherlands.
His childhood story is interesting, if not uncommon that of the troubled and testing childhood life which became blessed with extraordinary talent.
Memphis was born to a Dutch mother, Cora Schensema, and a Ghanaian father, Dennis Depay, in the small South Holland village of Moordrecht, where there’s not much to do.
Moordrecht was a Dutch African migrant town where emptiness ended when there was a football at anyone’s feet.
It was not long, however, before the relationship between Depay’s parents began to fall apart and when Depay was four, his father boldly walked out on the family.
Memphis and his mother had to survive by themselves, having hardly any money. The only hope for survival was happiness among themselves.
Little Memphis in the comforting arms of his adorable mother – Cora Schensema.
Any child who has experienced their parents’ break-up knows the deep emotional pain it can cause, with studies highlighting the damaging psychological consequences.
Depay is among those who have gone through this, and the effects have clearly impacted his development, persisting to this day.
In a bid to survive, Memphis took to rapping at events which helped him to earn monies to take care of his mother. The soft rapper grew up in the streets.
Young Memphis Depay as a Kid.
Memphis Depay Biography Facts – Rising to Fame:
Memphis was a football fan and started occasional football with friends even while he took to rapping.
In a bid to take football seriously, Memphis decided to join a youth club. His youth career started at the age of 6 at vv Moordrecht.
Upon joining the club, his former youth manager, Fred Rutten, demanded he make a choice between music and football.
Luckily for football fans, he chose football. Little Memphis would arrive at training with almost tears in his eyes.
From a young age, Memphis Depay knew that football was his calling. Even as a child, the weight of his dreams could be seen on his cute little face.
Little Memphis knew he was destined for the pitch, and he wasn’t taking any chances!
Poor Memphis continued football and kept music apart. He would, however, perform at events during holidays.
Three years later, he moved to Sparta Rotterdam, where he stayed for three years before his last youth switch to PSV Eindhoven in the year 2006.
Memphis led a wayward life at PSV and struggled with authority, which contributed to his reputation as a moody, complicated kid.
PSV provided him with a life coach, who described him as “very angry” during their first meeting.
Memphis, all through his youth career, was known to be the last one to leave the training pitch. As a winger, his sole aim was to be the next Arjen Robben or Cristiano Ronaldo.
In 2012, just a year after turning professional, Memphis dropped his surname ‘Depay’ from the back of his shirt. He explained that ‘Depay’ is his father’s name, and he no longer has love for a man who abandoned him and his mother.
The day after Depay’s 15th birthday, his grandfather, who had a huge influence on him, passed away. In tribute, Depay had words dedicated to his grandfather tattooed down his left arm.
“That man gave me a lot of strength and took great care of me,” said Depay as he reflected on his grandfather’s impact on his life.
“At that moment, I thought to myself: ‘I’ve got to go for it. I know where I want to go, and that is the top.’”
Using pain as motivation, Depay dedicated himself to football.
At 16, he was called up to represent his country at the under-17 level and was part of Holland’s 2011 European U17 Championship-winning squad.
Later, Depay became a significant asset in Louis van Gaal’s new Oranje team, serving as an impact substitute whose pace, energy, and trickery earned him growing acclaim.
His move to Manchester United was what followed next. The rest, as they say, is now history.
Karrueche Tientrese Tran and Memphis Depay – The Love Story:
Memphis Depay once dated American Personality Karrueche Tientrese Tran, who was born on the 17th of May, 1988, in Los Angeles.
She was educated at Birmingham High School in the year 2006. She is famous for being Chris Brown’s on-and-off Girlfriend in a career that spans 2009–2015.
After getting tired of Tran’s on-and-off life with Chris Brown, Depay went on to date the daughter of a global personality.
In June 2017, it was announced on social media that Depay was engaged to Lori Harvey, the youngest daughter of American television personality Steve Harvey.
She became the reason why Depay started enjoying the delights of California every holiday.
Memphis Depay posted news of his and his girlfriend Lori Harvey’s engagement on his Instagram account.
This happened when he capped his break-off by proposing to 22-year-old Lori Harvey, who appeared in two photographs with Depay.
One, which was published on the footballer’s Instagram, showed him getting down on one knee as he popped the question.
And another photo which ‘SHE SAID YESSSS!!!!!!!’ as seen below.
Memphis Depay Family Background:
Depay comes from an African-Ghanian heritage and a poor family background. His father, Dennis, was born in Ghana.
Dennis moved to Moordrecht, Holland, at the age of 23 in search of a better life. A chance meeting with local girl Cora (Memphis Depay’s mum) at a train station led to romance — despite opposition from her parents.
They were not keen on the African immigrant who had two children from a previous relationship.
Dennis and Cora were keen to start a family, and together, they flew to Ghana to bring back his children Geoffrey and Georgina. These are the stepbrother and sister of Memphis Depay.
Then in 1994, four years after they married, they celebrated the arrival of their only child, Memphis.
Little Memphis Depay and his family.
But when Memphis was four, his parents’ marriage broke down. Dennis and his older children moved out. Dennis worked in a factory in Gouda and was also a church pastor.
He and Cora just drifted apart. Their relationship never worked out, and they never hit or shouted at each other. The police weren’t involved too.
Below is a photo of Depay’s unforgiven Ghanaian father carrying Memphis on his lap just three years before the alleged abandonment.
He was the cause of why Memphis Depay lived the life of an angry and complicated kid during his youth football years.
Dennis Depay’s absence wasn’t big enough to deter his poor son on his climb up the ladder and making the best use of his natural talent. Reports indicate Memphis’s father got other kids from another woman.
Resurfacing When Life Got Good:
More recently, Dennis surfaced, having known that his son has made it to be a professional footballer. Below is a photo of 52-year-old Dennis at the time of writing this Bio.
As soon as he appeared, he became adamant that he did not abandon Memphis after the split but kept up regular contact. He says instead of paying child support, he made repayments to an £11,000 loan the couple had.
In his words again: “The divorce happened, but I was always going to see him. I was giving money too. There was no problem with access.
I could see Memphis whenever I wanted. He stayed with me lots of times, and I’d buy him clothes — and footballs. I was always visiting him, and they know it.”
He revealed for the first time how Memphis has shunned him, his half-brother and half-sister, since becoming a star footballer. Devastated, Dennis said painfully:
“Saying that I didn’t see him after he was four is a lie.
“It is unbelievable, and it is not nice. He is my son, and I love him.
I am the man who gave him his first ball. He was not abandoned by me. That is not true. I was always there for him.
I saw him on YouTube talking about his dad, saying he didn’t want to put my name on his back. It made me feel terrible. I would love to be back in touch with him. I miss him so much.”
Dennis Depay continued in his claims… “Memphis loved swimming, but he loved football more. I bought him his first football, and you could see he was talented.
He was so strong. Back then, we even played inside the house because the living room was so big. When we went swimming, we would take a ball and play outside on the grass afterwards.
Everywhere he went, he had to take a ball. When we went to church, he would take a ball with him. He was crazy about football from an early age; you could see this was a boy who loved football.”
Memphis Depay’s dad, Dennis, at the time of writing, currently lives in a far more modest home in a rundown suburb of Amsterdam.
Memphis Depay Biography – Motherly Closeness and Childhood Agony:
Mother: Memphis Depay naturally has a strong relationship with his mother, Cora Schensema.
Sources close to him reveal that not being able to see her regularly affects his performance on the pitch.
Young Memphis Depay and his beloved mother.
Back then, Memphis’s childhood was rocked again when his mum Cora moved in with a father with giant stepkids.
Little Memphis was ostracised, bullied and hit by his stepbrothers and sisters. With the new guy, Cora had a hard time, and so did Memphis. But Cora was in love with him and could not let go.
As Dennis once claimed, “One day, Memphis arrived at my home and had brought all his things.
He said, ‘I don’t want to live with my mum anymore, I want to live with you. I called his mum, who was crying. The other kids didn’t like him because of his talent.
They began to hate him so the family turned against him. When he was training with Sparta I would take him sometimes.
Whenever he had an argument with his mum he’d ask me to take him. Dennis believes the family turned Memphis against him after he got his first professional contract with PSV Eindhoven in 2012.”
Dennis, his real father, would go and help him when the other children, including their dad, hit his son for the slightest thing. This again caused a stair among the families.
The other children were jealous of him, and that was made worse because he was a good footballer and once earned his own monies rapping.
Today, there are claims that his family are after his money, including his real dad, who many have said wants to take his money to Africa.
Dennis today has revealed he doesn’t need Memphis’ money that he had been working all the while.
At the time of writing Memphis Depay’s Bio, he has forgiven his brothers and sisters from both fathers but not his real dad, Dennis and his other unknown stepdad.
Finally, Dennis said this about the family…”The family know I have done a lot for them, but then money comes along, and they ruined my name. It is crazy.”
Memphis Depay Tattoo Meaning:
Memphis claimed he was “brought up in the jungle,” and his most impressive artwork represents the rough times he has endured in his life.
The Lion at His Back:
Memphis had to stay still for 24 hours to have his lion tattoo created.
I always had a feeling that I’ve been brought up in the jungle: I was always outside, experiencing rough areas and going through tough times. The lion represents me as ‘the king of the jungle.’ I always stayed on my feet, even when things were difficult.
His Best Tattoo:
The former PSV star not only adores his monstrous lion tattoo but also reveals one of his favourites is one of his smallest – a tiny circle on his wrist, as seen below.
Memphis has a small circle on his wrist, revealing it is due to his small circle of friends.
His Rib Tattoo:
Now here comes the one on his ribs. Memphis Depay boasts a tattoo of Christ the Redeemer along his ribs after he netted against Australia in the 2014 World Cup for Holland.
As Memphis puts it; The tattoo on my ribs represents the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio. I got it when I played in the World Cup and scored my first goal. That moment changed a lot in my career, so it’s one of my favorites
The Date:
His goal against the Socceroos (Australia) was his first goal for his country, and he also netted against Chile in the same 2014 World Cup tournament.
Personal Life:
Memphis Depay is very handsome and has the following attribute to his personality.
Strengths: He is progressive, original and very independent
Weaknesses: Runs from emotional expression, sticks to himself (aloof), temperamental and uncompromising.
What Memphis likes: Having fun with the love of his life (Lori Harvey), fighting for causes, having an intellectual conversation and being a good listener.
What Memphis dislikes: Limitations in his career (His stay at Man United), being lonely and experiencing dull or boring situations.
Memphis Depay LifeStyle:
His talent on the pitch has made him rich off it. He is known for his flamboyant camouflage car.
Memphis owns a £1.3million mansion in Eindhoven, Holland which boasts a full-size boxing ring.
A Madrid Fan:
After Madrid’s win over their fearsome rival Barcelona in their Copa del Rey Clasico semi-final in 2013, Depay joyously tweeted, “Hala Madrid!”
The presence of Louis van Gaal at Manchester United might have been a factor in Depay’s decision to choose Manchester United.
An offer from Real Madrid in the future will certainly not be taken lightly by Depay if it comes. Although not having the opportunity to join his favourite club, Memphis has found a way to join Atletico Madrid From FC Barcelona.
Fact Check:
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