Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix has opened up about his remarkable journey from a tiny farming village in France to the iconic Stamford Bridge.
In the matchday programme ahead of the Premier League clash against Tottenham, the French international reflected on his childhood.
It's a farming village where around 300 people lived, and possibly five little kids, as there were many elderly folk or those working on the farms. My mother is a doctor, a GP. My father works as an intensive care nurse in a hospital.
Lacroix's footballing journey began at the tender age of four when he first took to the pitch as a goalkeeper, inspired by his father.
I started playing football at four years old. I was a goalkeeper because my dad was one too. He took me onto the field because he loved football – and he still does – and said to me, alright, now it's your turn to start playing.
After an impressive World Cup campaign and winning the UEFA Europa Conference League with Crystal Palace, the Frenchman made the switch to Chelsea.
Everything is going well. I think we’re on the right path. For me, everything has happened very quickly… But now I feel really settled in the team, which is great for me. It's fun, and it's a big club... I'm very happy to represent the club's badge and to be part of this big journey.
