Former Bordeaux star Wendel has come out to plead for the match ball from his hat-trick performance against Paris Saint-Germain, despite the game taking place back in 2008.
Wendel played for 11 different clubs across his 18-year career, including Bordeaux, which is where he spent his peak years between 2006 and 2011.
He scored 43 goals in 207 games from midfield for the French club, with a hat-trick coming in a 3-0 victory against PSG on March 2, 2008.
Wendel's standout showing
The Brazilian opened the scoring with a fierce strike from 20 yards out in the 33rd minute and doubled his account just after the interval with an audacious volley.
Wendel completed his treble a few minutes later and it turned out to be the best of the lot, with the midfielder heading past the opposition goalkeeper from outside the box after racing onto a cross from the left wing.
Bordeaux went on to finish second in Ligue 1 that season, with Wendel recording 11 goals across 36 appearances, while PSG ended up in 16th.
What's been said?
Wendel has now admitted that he regrets not picking up a memento from the game, which he still shows to his family and friends to this day.
The 39-year-old, who retired in 2018, hopes the match ball can find its way back to him at some point, as he told L'Equipe: “It's the best game of my professional career. I was on top, physically, technically. I remember my goals well, the stadium chanting my name, Dugarry congratulating me after the match… I still have the video of the match and I watch it once or twice a year. I show it to my children, my friends. It's to remember the beautiful things.
“My only regret is that I did not keep the match ball. I take this opportunity to make an announcement: if someone has this ball, I want to get it back! It would make me really happy!"
