We Are Chelsea - Down under with Lucy Bronze, Melvine Malard and Katie McCabe!

Episode Date: September 4, 2026

This is We are Chelsea, the official podcast of Chelsea Women, brought to you in association with Skoda, the official car partner of Chelsea Women and proud supporters of women's sport. https://www.skoda.co.uk/Lucy Bronze catches up with new signings Melvine Malard and Katie McCabe during our pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand. They chat all things tour, settling in, and how Melvine taught Lucy how to speak French! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to We Are Chelsea, the podcast of Chelsea Women's brought to you in association with Skoda, the official car partner of Chelsea women and proud supporter of women's sports. I'm Lucy Bronze and today we are joined by two of Chelsea's newest signings, Melvin Mallard and Katie McCabe. We are currently out in New Zealand on our pre-season tour, so we thought it would be the perfect chance to sit down and have a catch-up. This is We Are Chelsea with Lucy Bronze, Melvin Malad and Katie McCabe. Hi guys. You're both new at Chelsea.

So how are you feeling right now? Feeling good. It's been really nice, I think, especially coming away, spending time together, getting to know teammates, better staff. So, yeah, it's been really good. Yeah, that's true. That's true. It's so good.

You know, it's a little bit easy because I know some player here, so it's good. and everyone is good with me, so it's nice. Good vibes. Yeah, only. Has there been a moment where you've just felt like you knew Chelsea was the right move? Have you had a moment like that yet? No, I think for me, obviously,

addressing the elephant in the room, coming from a rival. I mean, both, really. Both rivals, yeah, yeah. No, I think coming from, obviously, a rival club, it can rub fans up the wrong way at times, But for me, I think it was an important part of my career to start a new chapter and I think having had conversations with Sonia, I knew Chelsea was the right place for me

coming in in the summertime and I think Chelsea's always been a club that have won a lot of trophies and you can feel the winning mentality when you come into the dressing room. So yeah, yeah, it was a good fit. Melvin was Sonia a big part of your decision? Yeah, yeah, it is. It is. You know, I call her a lot of time and for make the decision and, you know, for me, she knows me a lot and I know also Sonia. With Sonia you can progress. Did you tell anyone before it became official, Simon, who was like the first people you told? Ooh, I kept... You have to keep it secret for a while.

I kept mine pretty tight. I didn't tell my family until an hour before it was going to get... Really? Seriously. I have a big family. None of them. None of them. I have a big family. Yes, yes. So if you tell one, they're all going to know.

And then the nephew or niece will put it on TikTok or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Oh, good. I couldn't let it leak. So I told Caitlin, obviously. And then, yeah, one or two of my mates. But they're surprised?

Yeah, I think. Was your family surprised? Yeah, well, like half of my family or Chelsea, fan so they were like really happy obviously yeah they were they were really happy so um but yeah so do you know you know that's his good news you know yeah yeah no it's good news what about you yeah my brother i call my brother like little brother because he followed you know he loved he little brother adriano yes how is he like how tall is he now 18 now yeah it's not little anymore yeah but you know i call him and i said yeah maybe i go to chelsea

And that's good, you know. He told me about Sonia, about a lot of players, so yes. Melvin, obviously, we played together at Leon. Was I a big reason that you came to Chelsea to play with me? Of course, you know, like, you are a big player. How long did you play together? Three years. Yeah, I'm very baby.

She was a baby. She didn't speak no English. I always tell people that Melvin was one of the people that helped me learn French. Really? she couldn't speak English, but she wants to speak to everyone. Yeah. So she spoke to me every day.

Yeah. In French. Yeah. But all like, all like the slang and stuff. So when I speak now, Sonia's like, why do you sound like a teenager? I speak in French. She's like, you sound like a little teenager. I said Wesh.

Wesh. Yeah. That's because of Melvin. So funny. So you can't cause a Lucy. No, yeah. I come because I know, you know, Chelsea, you said, win a lot of trophy and that's, I think, you know, not high bond for that, but I know what I want.

So I won't win. I want progress. And I think here have a lot of players can help me for progress and also win the trophy again, you know. How many players are here that you played with? Oh, a lot. Kadesh, Ellie, Sandy in national team, you. Kami? Kami, I believe.

Sonia is my coach. Yes, that's a lot. A lot. That is a lot. You know a lot of people then coming in. Yeah, yeah, nice, yeah, very good. It feels like you've been here ages. Just how easy you are with people.

It's easy, it's easy, yes. No, that is nice. Okay, you spent many years playing against a lot of the players here. Is it been like weird or anything playing against, or like in like meetings or anything? No, it's been good. Obviously, haven't played against you for the last few years, obviously even since Sonia came in,

I think this is Sonia's third year now with the club. It's a different sort of Chelsea now. So I think the games are always much harder, so tactical, and they always went right to the end, you know. So, yeah, I think being on the other side now, I'm able to get to know you guys a lot better and enjoy your quality. and yeah, make myself better as well.

That's nice. I set you up and get to go. All right, then what about first impressions of team mates? Obviously, I've been here a bit longer. You know more people than Katie, probably, personally. Have you played with anyone before? No. I've, no.

No? Like, not one player in the team. That's crazy. Yeah, no, I've not played with anyone. Just played against everybody. But I think my first couple of days, because I came in a bit earlier to just get settled in and get to meet obviously the staff and that. So my first couple of sessions was with Ellie, Ney and Aaron. And that's a good group to come into.

They were really chill and we had some good sessions and that. And they kind of showed me the ropes a little bit. And Aaron, like, Aaron and I would know off the pitch a lot. We actually played together for about 20 minutes for Glasgow City. about 12 years ago. Whoa. So that'd be it. That's long time.

That's good. But that's who I'd probably know the longest and then like going out for dinners and stuff at friends' birthdays and stuff like that. So, yeah, Aaron's always a good one. Right, well let's try and do like, see if you've got the same answers as me for some of the teammates.

Got some questions. Who's welcomed you the most, like one person? Me. I'm going to say, you go. Ellie. Ellie. Yes.

Ellie, like... Well, Ellie came to your wedding, didn't she? Of course, yeah. That's also... Yeah, before I come, when I'm here. And yes, she's very, very good. I would say, Erin, yeah. Erin or not?

Oh, nice. I actually forgot to mention that on that last question. That was also there. Who's surprised you the most as a person or a player? I would say Myra. Because she's so shy. She, like, playing against her is. not an easy 90 minutes.

She's, yeah, she's totally different on the pitch. So after pitch, she's so chill. She's sweet. Yeah. He's trying to give her a big hug, you know what I mean?

But we're not quite there yet, so I won't. But yeah, I'd say, Mara. Me, James. James. Eljee. Like, she speak a lot. Probably the same, because, She's speaking.

What you see it and how she plays. Yeah. When she's off the pitch, she's very different. Yeah. And sometimes, you know, I know her about Instagram, about player, you know. Like, I speak with her sometimes in Instagram. So when I speak, like, I'm shimmy, you know, like, oh, good game, blah, blah, blah. And now, like, we speak like, we know a lot, you know, so that's good.

You make her laugh a lot, then. Yeah, she giggles at you. Yeah, and she's not shimmed, you know, she's, yeah, good. That's a good one. Who's the loudest? You? Yeah, I want to send me, yes. You're pretty loud.

Yeah, but I like it. No, I like it. Yeah, I would say you're up there for sure. I want to send me. And if I can't hear you laughing. Who's the loudest? When Ellie and Ney are together. Yeah.

When Ellie's influenced by Lissa, then... Yeah. She could be loud. And then Ellie and you were loud. Yeah, I think you're. Yeah, Big Joe. Who's made you laugh the most already? Aaron's gave me a few giggles, to be fair.

So I'll give that to us. Your mates. What's been your favorite moment so far? That's hard one. You've not ready been here long. I think fly 30 hour. To come here was the best. Amazing.

You know what? Skare on the fly. Getting scared on the fly. Turbulums. Oh, my guy was asleep. Like, that's my favourite moment. I wish I heard that. I was asleep.

That's your favourite moment, yourself? Yes, yes. A man on the plane. Oh, my God, yes. Who did you instantly click with in the team? I won't say airing, because I've said her over quite a lot. Probably like Nat and Nay and Ellie, to be fair. Once you met the family.

Yeah, the girls I met, like, coming in initially, yeah. But I feel like we've clicked to it. a lot. Still, quite easy. Still defrosting a little bit. Like, I'm still, I still need to come out my shell a bit more, I think, but I'll get there.

What about you? I can know who yours is. Yeah, I don't know. Who you clicked with? Like, who you like, straight away. I think LJ, not? At the moment, yes.

And Ellie also. Yeah, but you already knew Ellie. Yeah, but LJ after one day, you used to just laughing at everything. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Who's the most organised? Organised.

I feel like you're quite organised. Reasonably, yeah. Organised in what way, though? Yeah, I was going to say, we've got a lot of young players, so I feel like it's hard, like maybe younger players aren't as sure of what they're doing. Yeah, they'll like ask you, Lucy, what are we doing? When I first signed at Chelsea, Vika signed at the same time, she came up to me and she said, Lucy, where do we get the protein shakes from?

I was like, I've literally just. I've literally just got him. That's a very vegan question to ask. I mean, you signed at the same time. I know just as much as you. She's not on my list for being organised, I'll tell you that. No, she wouldn't be. To be fair, maybe like C-O and Liv.

C-O and Liv, yeah, that's a good shout. Yeah. That German, like, Swiss vibe. Yeah, mentality. That's cool, no. Who drinks the most coffee? Erin? Yeah.

Oh, God, Erin. I think she has home, no? And, like, Ellie. Ellie likes her coffee. You? I like coffee, but I think Aaron would beat me at that. Erin, yes, I think. Shout out to Ruby Alba.

She talks with me because she said she had a coffee home and big coffee. La, la, la. Yes, and she brings also, you remember last time in the training she brings? And she said, that's my coffee. You're like, wow. This podcast is brought to you by Skoda. the official car partner of Chelsea women and proud supporters of women's sports. It's football season.

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take my word for it though. Search the SCADA range today to jump in and see for yourself. Who would you trust to plan a team night out? Last question. Myself. I would drop myself on that bracket. Yeah. Or Nat. I feel like Nat. Yeah, Nat's quite good. Stuff like that. Nat. Hello. One of the team mates. Okay, moving on to the next bit, life on tour. We are recording this from the hotel in New Zealand on our pre-season tour.

By the time the fans are listening to this, we'll have already played our first game. Had either of you ever been to New Zealand before? No. Never. It was over in Australia for the World Court and then obviously for holidays and trips and stuff, but it didn't come this far.

No. Are you enjoying it? It's cold. Yeah, it is cool. It's cool. It's cold. Cold? Coffee is good.

Do you even drink coffee? I drink now, yes. I saw everyone go to take coffee, so I'm taking coffee. Seriously, I wake up like 5 a.m. And I go to take my coffee. What's been your favourite moment of New Zealand? I think training at Eden Park and playing at Eden Park because it's such a historic stadium and all blacks

and it's like a fortress for them. And I like rugby and I think it's, yeah, it's a, it's a, it's a cool stadium. It's actually quite crazy that we're training there, like, every day. Not, it's notes. Yeah. I don't think we've really, like, real, I think some people don't realize it. I had a stat, like, the Oblacks hadn't lost there in, like, 37 years or something like that. Like, that's a crazy stat.

Yeah, I mean. Did you know that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Like, one person turned me the same. Something similar. Yeah, similar. Stade de France, like, it's big. It's very big.

So, yeah. Yeah. No, it's cool. Obviously, the city's nice. Are you still feeling jet lagged? No, I feel like you. I've been jet lagged, yeah. What time have you been waking up? Like 3 a.m.

Yeah. And then don't go back asleep? No. You need the coffee. That's crazy. What time do you know? Yeah? I'm five, 30 since.

Yeah. Elders like, that's waiting for breakfast. She messaged me. Shaking in a seat. Every time he's 530. six, you tell me, are you awake up? And I said, now, yes. Because you text me.

No, I can't I can't stand up. No, I've been all right. First few nights was like 5, 5.30. Yesterday I was walking the street at 5.30 in the morning. You tell me one hour you walk, yes. It's crazy. But today I was better.

7 a.m., so it was fine. That's not bad. That's okay. I can't. And then when we go to Sydney as well, it's like another two hours. Is it back two hours? Yeah.

I'm excited to go to see me. So if you wake at seven, you'll be five there. You'll be awake at one year. I'm not even nearly asleep. What's something fans would be surprised to know about preseason tour that it's actually like?

What's something that fans might be like, oh, I didn't know that you did that in preseason tour? Speak with Congo. I don't know. Speak with a kangaroo. Did you just have to do that video? Yeah. Peekly a kangaroo.

What did you do? Wow, that's good. Wow. What noise did you make? No, I don't know what is this. I don't know. Did you do it? Yeah, I didn't.

I did like, like, like as if they were eating like, something like this. Quala. Coala sounded like a snake. I don't know. Like, yes, maybe I can speak when we go to zoo. Yeah, you haven't even heard it yet. I've seen loads of kangaroos, but do they make noises?

They said that about the koala and I was like, I don't think they make a sound. I like whispered as if like, yeah. No, I don't know. That's a good one to be fair. People think that you just come and train and you have to do with all this. Yes. Lots more media on preseason tour, a lot more media, I'd say. Before all the hard work of preseason started, we all had a bit of time off in the summer.

Melvin, first of all, congratulations. You got married in the summer. Put a bring on it. Tell us a little bit about the day. I saw a lot of pictures, lots of videos. Yes, amazing, amazing. Amazing. A lot of preparation before that.

How long? And did you do the preparation? No, before that, nine months for prepare marriage. wedding and after that like I have five hours to the morning before the ceremony but it's so long you know yeah and after that when my wedding is done a lot pressure you know like it's gone gone and off the shoulders crazy but I'm so happy you know like yes I'm enjoying a lot with the family I have family from my Islam you know Henry Nio to come.

And, yes, and everyone is here. Friend, Ellie, come also. So that's just good. And yes, and now new life. So good. Everyone needs to look at it on Instagram to see all the pictures. Yeah, and I have a lot of message, you know, a lot. Yeah, it's good, good energy, good vibe with people outside football also.

So that's good. And big summer because I'm. sign for Chelsea also. Very busy summer. A lot of move. Moving to London. Yes. Trying to find a house.

I don't have at the moment. It's okay. Everything is okay. So yes. Nice. Anything else in the summer? When's the honeymoon? Did you do a honeymoon?

Yeah. We go to Zanzibar. Oh, nice. Yeah, we've so nice people, you know, like, I said, positive vibe, good energy and we go again, you know. That's nice. What, you, Katie, did you get married in the summer? No, no marriage for me.

What did you do in the summer? I'll give you one guess. Ibiza. Yes. Oh, banana. Every year. Every year. We're coming next year.

Yeah, we're coming next year. Have you been? I need to ask my wife now. She can come. Oh, my God, that's nice. No, I went to Ibiza with the girls. They are kind of close friend group. They were all going off in different directions, like signing for new clubs and stuff.

So we had a week in Ibiza, which was lovely. And then went away with Kate and met my family out in Spain as well. So seeing the family spent a bit of time with their nieces and nephews and that. So it was good. It's never long enough, is it? This one was, I felt like it was quite long. He were in American. You were a jet sim.

Alicante for a wedding Then I went Columbia Mexico Back to England Went to Tune's Wedden In Manchester

Oh nice Then I went Then I drove With a camper From England Through France To Spain Then a week in Barcelona

Then a week in New York Amazing Wow Movement And you said this long And then I came And then I went to Miorca for two days

With my family And then came to preseason. It's for that you don't sleep. And she asks, if it's normal, you go everywhere like that. Got to make the most of it. No, but it's good because...

A few of it, like Columbia. Columbia, I went to do work with refugees. Yeah. So that was a trip that I planned for so long that every year I asked to go, I wanted to go to Colombia. And Serena, England, always said, I don't want you to go to Columbia

because the time difference. We've got a World Cup, we've got a Euros. So I've been waiting for so long to do that. New York was for the World Cup final. Yeah, fair. And then the other ones were holidays. Yeah. We've had a heavy season, so you might as well enjoy yourself.

You're not going to get time off like that again. It's a good time for take the opportunity when you can take. Adventure. Yes. Like me, the same, you know. We are engaged two years ago. So I said now with this opportunity for... Yeah, to do something that you.

He wouldn't normally do. Yes, exactly. Exactly. Okay, so now we've got all that summer talk out the way. Exciting to look ahead to the season. What are you most excited for? First game, I think. We got the fixtures.

So the first game, Stanford Bridge, obviously playing all the games at the bridge in the WSL. So that's going to be cool. Something different, obviously. So, yeah, I think for me, it would be the first game in the season. I think in the first month we play against the game. both your ex-teams as well. That's correct.

Yeah, my second game. Your second game and then maybe the fourth of it. Yes, that's true. Yeah, because we have Philly, United, Bremen, and that are still. Wow. Yeah. Have a busy month. Yeah.

But I'm excited to see the fan because I'm player like the atmosphere, you know, and I want, you know. You want to feel it. Give me the fire. It's what you're hoping that Chelsea fans see for. from you. Goals, hopefully. What are you going to offer them?

What you're going to promise them this year? Enjoy the football, you know, like, when you come, like, see something like, yes. You know, when Katie, what you're offering? Yeah. Can you skate your asses like that. Yeah. Why not? Great answer.

Are you offering the same? I can't talk that answer. No, I can't top that answer. I'll give some of that what she's giving. And then, yeah, I mean, just 100% really. For me, I've always wore me heart and my sleeve when I play football. It's just showing the fans that I'm here to play and represent the club and help the club win trophies.

And by the end of the season, what's one thing that you'd like to achieve? Which one? All of them. All? Yes. Why not? They take everything like, you know. We take it off.

Oh yes. When we can take, we take, you know. So, yes. It's going to be difficult, but I think, yeah, we've got massive opportunities. Walk hard. Yeah. It's trophies. Trophies.

What we want with it. Well, thanks for that. That's everything. Thanks, Lucy. That's everything, guys. I don't know. Do you want more questions? It's okay.

No? It's okay. Yes. I think it's dinner time now. Well, thanks for joining me. Thank you. Thanks for having us. Thanks for joining us.

Thank you. Bye. Bye. Bissu. Bejew. Thank you for listening to We Are Chelsea, the official podcast of Chelsea women, brought to you in association with Skoda, the official partner for Chelsea Women and proud supporter of women's sports.