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Football star Benjamin Mendy told his rape trial: 'I know I'm not Brad Pitt, but women came onto me - not for my looks but because of football.'

The Manchester City defender told the jury that women started to approach him from the age of 18 when he was playing for Marseille in the French first division.

But he told the jury at Chester Crown Court 'it became ten times more at Man City - one of the best teams in Europe.'

Mendy, 28, started giving evidence in his own defence to a string of alleged sex crimes including seven rapes yesterday afternoon.

The £52million star, dressed in a blue three piece suit, white shirt and black and white patterned tie, took the oath on the Koran before answering questions from his barrister Eleanor Laws KC.

He said his £52million move from Monaco to Premiership champions City in 2017 was 'a dream.'

The World Cup winner with France said he went to nightclubs two or three times a week after joining City and met woman there, many of whom were invited back to his £4.7million mansion The Spinney in Prestbury, Cheshire.

He told the jury: 'I was enjoying the house, I was enjoying the women. I was so happy to be here, so excited. I was excited about the football as well.'