ZURICH — Benjamin Mendy, a defender who played a vital role in France’s World Cup victory, has officially joined Swiss club Zurich as announced on Tuesday. The player hadn’t featured in any matches this season while with French second-tier team Lorient.

Zurich confirmed that Mendy, who has previously played for renowned clubs like Manchester City and Monaco, has signed a contract that will keep him at the club until the conclusion of next season.

At 30 years old, Mendy has made 10 appearances for the French national team, including a match during the group stages of the 2018 World Cup, which saw France emerge as champions. His name is notably featured in an unofficial anthem for the French team that has amassed nearly 600 million views on YouTube.

Before joining Lorient in 2023, Mendy spent six successful years at Manchester City, where he secured three Premier League titles before his contract ended. He has not taken to the pitch for Man City since August 2021 due to facing legal issues related to sexual assault charges, from which he was later acquitted.

Currently, Zurich stands eighth in the 12-team Swiss league but remains only seven points behind the league leaders, Basel.