Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Musonda (right) debuted for Chelsea playing alongside his idol Eden Hazard against Nottingham Forest
ByNizaar KinsellaFootball reporter- Published15 minutes ago
"I won't lie. Mentally, yes, it's been very difficult," the former Chelsea winger Charly Musonda told BBC Sport.
Musonda, who retired aged 28 last summer, decided to quit football after a spell in Cyprus marred by unpaid wages - but despite this being a far cry from the start of his career, there is renewed excitement on the horizon.
In the beginning, Musonda joined then Champions League-holders Chelsea ahead of Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona after rising through the ranks at Belgian giants Anderlecht.
At this time, he was one of the most highly-rated young attackers in world football, playing for Antonio Conte's Blues, making a dazzling impact on loan at Real Betis and having a mixed spell at Celtic before his next move to Dutch club Vitesse... But then injury derailed his upward trajectory.
"One studs‑up tackle cost me four years of my career. Doctors told me I had a 20% chance of ever playing again," he said of the posterior cruciate ligament injury that changed everything in 2018.
After nearly four years out, Musonda was fit enough to return for Chelsea but found the club lost faith in him. Subsequent moves to Levante in Spain and Anorthosis in Cyprus could not revive his ambitions.
After his career instability, Musonda, based in Los Angeles, is now working on developing a one‑versus‑one, combat sport‑style football league game.
Glory days of youth career
In his childhood, Musonda, son of a Zambia international also called Charles, was well known by youth teams and scouts across Europe.
"Funnily enough, I had a chat with Vincent Kompany when I left Chelsea and he was at Anderlecht. I remember he said, 'I've known you since you were five years old'," Musonda said.
"I was playing the biggest clubs from all over Europe from 10. After matches, clubs like Real Madrid were talking to my parents. It was an exciting time."
Musonda says when Arsenal, United, Madrid and Barcelona made him offers, he wanted to join the latter because of Pep Guardiola - but Chelsea won out.
"It was a family decision. Chelsea won the Champions League, signed Eden Hazard, who was fantastic with me and always offering advice, and they made the best overall offer."
Musonda won two FA Youth Cups and a Uefa Youth League in Chelsea's academy teams.
'I could not catch a break' at Chelsea
Until their 2019 transfer ban – when then manager Frank Lampard promoted Reece James, Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori – Chelsea offered few first-team opportunities to academy players.
"Chelsea were a winning machine when I was there," he said. "You couldn't complain because they were winning. It was tough for development and we knew we probably needed to go on loan."
He spoke about his first loan spell at Real Betis, which put him on the radar of Belgium managers Marc Wilmots and, later, Roberto Martinez.
"I felt close to going to the Euros as Wilmots was watching me and then Martinez was saying, 'you just need to go and play'."
Back at Chelsea, he scored on his debut against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup and said: "I look back and think how difficult it was for young players. I was probably one of the best, if not the best, of my generation there and it was just so tough.
"The season started and I could not catch a break. In the first game, the Community Shield, we lost on penalties to Arsenal. I was coming on with about 15 minutes to go and, just as I had been called, Pedro got sent off. So when I did get on, we were just hanging on until penalties.
"Then the Premier League starts - Burnley at home - and we have two players sent off again. That is my Premier League debut, I came on with five minutes to go.
"That is when I was knocking on the door - and that is the hardest part. Brendan Rodgers had wanted me at Celtic at the start of the season but Chelsea said no, then they came back in January and I went with the World Cup in mind."
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Musonda made eight appearances for Celtic
Life-changing tackle... and a decline
After leaving Celtic, Musonda described the scene: "Barcelona wanted me that summer where I would spend six months in the B team and then hopefully get promoted to the first team but Vitesse also wanted me. Chelsea said, 'Look, go to Vitesse'.
"During the September international break, I was playing a friendly in Antwerp. The ball was in the air and the guy just put his studs into my knee. I was told I would be out for two months – it ended up being nearly four years."
Musonda injured the PCL in his knee, an almost unheard‑of issue in football, when surgery is usually avoided to prevent altering a player's explosiveness or running style. Two months out became a full season and when he tested the knee again during his loan back at Vitesse, he broke down once more.
Seeking answers, Musonda consulted his private doctorand was advised to have surgery. Chelsea initially refused, delaying him another month, but Musonda eventually won the argument.
During his eight‑to‑10‑month recovery, the global coronavirus pandemic struck, slowing his progress further by restricting access to club facilities and staff.
At that stage, Musonda paid for parts of his own rehabilitation, hiring a private physiotherapist in Dubai at his own expense – a move he says led to him being fined but that he ultimately credits with helping him return to training three and a half years after the initial injury.
Managers Maurizio Sarri and Lampard had come and gone, and Thomas Tuchel was now in charge at Chelsea.
"I met Tuchel in the car park and he told me he knew who I was from Dortmund and to be ready for the following pre-season," Musonda said. "I came back and was told to sign a contract at half my salary and to go out on loan by Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, the loan coach.
"I was also told I would be training with the under-23s but I pulled one of Tuchel's coaches aside and he said it was a mistake – that I was travelling with them to Ireland the next day for the tour. I trained there and I got Covid. A nightmare.
"When I returned, Tuchel told me there was some animosity in the front office. I said I would have played for free that season to prove myself at Chelsea and that if I wasn't good enough, I would walk away when my contract expired.
"I knew from September that I wouldn't play and it was tough, especially after being told I had only a 20% chance of playing football again when I had the surgery to then feeling fully fit.
"I just needed an opportunity at Chelsea, but it was a tough sell after so long out. Mentally, that was one of the toughest moments. It killed me. Chelsea was where I wanted to make it."
What's next for Charly?
"If I'd played 50 games at Chelsea, or even 20, I'm not in this position today," Musonda said.
His lack of minutes at Chelsea left him with limited options. A move to Levante in Spain's second division was made with promotion in mind but after the club failed to go up on the final day of the season, Musonda says he was pushed out to save on wages.
"In Spain I left early, in Cyprus I wasn't paid. I had to walk away and leave money behind - still haven't been paid," he said.
Musonda smiles throughout the interview and says he is excited about VS1, a new one-versus-one, combat sport-style football league he is working on from his base in Los Angeles.
"Doing what you believe in - that's happiness. Living with purpose, adventure, things fall where they fall. That mentality comes from my dad. Even when life hit him hard, he always smiled," he said.
