Charly Musonda: The Wonderkid’s Battle, Heartbreak, and New Mission to Inspire

Charly Musonda’s football journey is a poignant tale of immense talent, relentless setbacks, and a new mission to redefine opportunities for aspiring players.

Early Life and Development in Belgium

• Born in Brussels, Belgium, Musonda’s footballing roots were deeply embedded in his family, with his father also having been a football player who at his peak played as a midfielder for Belgian club Anderlecht and the Zambia national team. He began playing football around the house with his brothers and father from a very young age.
• He joined an academy at five years old, where his talent quickly became evident. He knew early on, from around the age of five, that football was what he wanted to do and what he was good at.
• Musonda started his career at Anderlecht, the former club of his father renowned in Belgium for developing young talent. He describes his time there as “awesome,” enjoying the chilled environment and having great memories, even continuing to speak with some of his former coaches.

The Road to Chelsea and Youth Success

• As a young player at Anderlecht, Musonda attracted interest from numerous top European clubs. Initially, interest came from clubs within Belgium, then from neighbouring countries like France (e.g., Lille, where Eden Hazard went) and Holland (e.g., Ajax).
• By the age of 14-15, he was part of the Belgian national U15 team, drawing international attention. Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United were among the English clubs interested, while Barcelona and Real Madrid also began to watch him during international tournaments. He even visited Barcelona’s La Masia academy, describing it as an “amazing experience”.
• He chose to sign for Chelsea at 15 years old. The key reason for this decision was that Chelsea, along with Manchester City, was one of the few clubs that accommodated his family’s relocation, which was crucial for his support system. A personal connection through Chelsea’s technical director, Michael Emanalo, who knew his parents from playing in Belgium, also helped convince him. His brothers also joined Chelsea, further supporting his move.
• Adapting to English football’s culture and its more direct, less technique-focused style took some time, but his family’s presence made the transition easier.
• Musonda quickly rose through Chelsea’s youth ranks. He played with future stars like Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Lewis Baker, Tammy Abraham, and Fikayo Tomori.
• His youth career at Chelsea was highly successful:
  • He played in the FA Youth Cup final in his first year, making his official U18 debut.
  • The following season, his team won the FA Youth Cup and the Premier League 2 (U21 league).
  • In his third year (around 18-19 years old), they won the Youth Cup again and the Champions League of Youth.

Transition to Senior Football and Loan Spells

• In January 2016, Musonda went on loan to Real Betis in Spain. This move was driven by a desire for playing time and exposure in a major league, as advised by Mourinho, despite initially wanting to stay at Chelsea. He was excited to play in a league with global stars like Messi and Ronaldo.
• Upon returning to Chelsea in August 2017, he made his Chelsea debut in the Community Shield against Arsenal. This was a “great moment” and his “biggest dream”.
• His competitive debut for Chelsea came in September 2017 against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup. This was a “huge moment” for him after waiting “six years” to play for Chelsea. Remarkably, he scored in that game, assisted by Fabregas, and played alongside Eden Hazard and Michy Batshuayi – a rare instance of three Belgians in Chelsea’s attack.
• In January 2018, he went on a half-season loan to Celtic in Scotland. The move was partly influenced by Belgium’s manager, Roberto Martinez, who encouraged him to play more to potentially secure a spot for the upcoming World Cup. However, he didn’t play much there.
• After Celtic, he sought more playing time and joined Vitesse in the Netherlands. This is where his career took a devastating turn.

The Onset of a Cruel Injury Nightmare

• Within a week of arriving at Vitesse in September 2018, Musonda suffered a severe knee injury during a friendly match. A defender’s studs hit his knee, causing it to swell immediately. Initially, he was told he would be out for a few months until December.
• However, upon returning to Chelsea for rehab, he had another scan, which estimated a two-month recovery. What was supposed to be a 2-3 month injury ultimately led to him missing four years of football.
• During rehab, he experienced another tear, escalating his injury from a grade two to a grade three PCL tear. This type of injury is rare in football, more common in rugby or American football, and doctors advised against surgery due to the risk of losing speed and changing his playing mechanism.
• He consulted with a renowned Belgian doctor, Dr. Martins (who had operated on Kaka and Brazilian Ronaldo), who advised six weeks of rest for the PCL to repair itself. Despite this, his knee never fully recovered.
• Musonda faced a conflict with Chelsea’s medical department, who were reluctant about surgery due to the rarity and potential impact on his playing style. UK doctors consulted also gave bleak prognoses, with one stating he only had a “20% chance of coming back” and would likely not play at the same level again.
• Despite the risks, Musonda decided to undergo surgery because he “couldn’t walk” and felt it was his only chance, even with low odds.
• His recovery was further hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to restrictions on gym access, physio, and treatment, forcing him to improvise his rehab. He even paid for a comprehensive medical team, physios, and nutritionists in Dubai for two months to intensely focus on his recovery, which ultimately resolved the pain in his knee.

Heartbreak at Chelsea and Post-Injury Struggles

• After his intensive rehab, Musonda’s knee was free of pain. He had “worked so hard” to return, but his return coincided with a period of contractual disputes and a new manager, Thomas Tuchel.
• Despite positive interactions with Tuchel, he was asked by Chelsea’s loan group management (Peter Cech and Marina Granovskaia, then Carlo Cudicini) to sign a new contract, take a pay cut, and go on loan. Musonda felt a “bit of animosity” around his name within the club’s departments.
• He expressed a desire to stay and fight for a place, even offering to play for free, but sensed a lack of support for his integration back into the first team due to internal club dynamics and his long injury.
• In November 2021, he made the difficult decision to leave Chelsea as a free agent at the end of the season. This decision was heartbreaking, especially as he was finally getting fit and training well, but felt there was “no path” for him at Chelsea. He described crying in his car on his final day, feeling immense sadness about not getting to play more competitive games despite his talent.

Post-Chelsea Career and Retirement

• After leaving Chelsea in summer 2022, Musonda joined Levante, a championship team in Spain. The plan was to rebuild his fitness and play time there, with promotion to La Liga being the goal.
• However, setbacks continued, including further injuries and a change in management, which impacted his mental state. He described a feeling of “PTSD” with every new injury, feeling “so far off” from his previous level.
• Levante failed to gain promotion, leading to financial difficulties and Musonda’s departure after just a year, despite his original three-year plan.
• He also noted how football training had changed significantly, becoming more tactical and less enjoyable, leading to depression when he wasn’t playing games.

A New Mission: Retirement and Inspiring the Next Generation

• Having grappled with the decision for years, Charly Musonda officially announced his retirement from professional football.
• His retirement is driven by a profound purpose: to inspire and motivate other players, and to create opportunities for young talent.
• He aims to build something “purely for the players,” using his own challenging experiences to help.
• Musonda plans to dedicate his life to finding and providing a platform for the best young talent worldwide, allowing them to showcase their abilities. He wants to create a “player-driven league” as an alternative pathway, so players don’t solely rely on traditional club systems.
• His advice to young athletes is to be mentally strong, as life is full of ups and downs, and to always look towards building a better future. He seeks to use his story to motivate and inspire generations, especially those in underserved regions or those who have been unfortunate with injuries.