World Cup winner Benjamin Mendy says he will wear medal like a second skin for years
The Manchester City defender is revelling in the glory from France's recent triumph
BENJAMIN MENDY will wear his World Cup medal as a second skin for the next four years.
The France full-back was carrying it round in the pocket of his shorts at Manchester City’s Florida hotel.
He showed it off to the reporters round the table and could barely stop smiling.
Mendy said: “This is my skin now. For four years it’s my skin. Before the World Cup I said to the dressing room, ‘If I win, I’ll come back with the medal’.
“I have the medal in my pocket. In four years we have a new World Cup but now we are the kings.”
Mendy was also snapped on social media showing off the trophy in various locations.
He said: “Yeah, it’s very shiny, it’s heavy. It’s the best cup.”
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City’s World Cup stars are starting to drift back to the club now — having taken their holidays after the tournament. Most of the England players will return in the next few days — but Mendy insists he will not be gloating.
He said: “Before we were going, everybody was talking about their country. I said that you’ll see the French win but some other guys said, ‘No’.
“After we played against any of them, like Kun Aguero, we spoke — but every time it was with respect. When England won their quarter-final I spoke with Raz Sterling and Kyle Walker.
“Everything is like this. So when I come back I don’t go “Waaaaaaah!”
Mendy played less than a half in the tournament in Russia, featuring only during the dead rubber against Denmark.
His promising debut season at City was also ruined by a cruciate injury in September and he played only eight times.
Even so, that was enough to get him a Premier League gong as the ‘Centurions’ romped to the title.
He added: “Some people can say I didn’t play a lot, I don’t deserve this or that. But if I can take then I’ll take. You have to take everything.”
The £49.3million defender’s character and enthusiasm made him an important part of the dressing room — even when he was sidelined.
He said: “Really, I didn’t have any low moments.
“When I go to the hospital some people are worse than me. It’s just one knee.
“Some people have a big problem so I don’t have a reason to have a bad face. Every day I was happy.”
Even so, the important thing now for Mendy is to get matches and he could feature in the Community Shield against Chelsea next Sunday.
He added: “I want to play games. When you win one time you want to win a second time. You don’t want to stop.
“And I have one shelf at home for a lot of medals.”