Some unique stories behind the success of a footballer always become an interesting story to be talked about. Starting from those who were born from rich families to those who pursue their careers from dirty and dusty streets.
Footchampion will summarize several footballers who had started their careers from the streets…
1.Victor Moses
Following the tragic story that happened to him as a child, Victor Moses lived in confusion. He did not know where to go after his parents were shot dead.
Finally, Moses found ‘life’ on the street. Starting to play football on a dusty road, Moses grew as a strong player with all the abilities he had.
- Juan Cuadrado
Growing up in areas of violence and with high crime rates, Cuadrado was used to living in dirty and tense environments.
Witnessing the shooting of his father, Cuadrado continued to develop his talent on the streets of Necocli, Colombia. His persistence to play football on his barefoot made the local team, Independiente Medellin, was interested in recruiting him. Now, he is known as a player who has incredible speed.
- Ronaldo
The 2002 World Cup trophy winner, Ronaldo da Lima, lived in a dirty and poor environment near Rio.
Having no money to buy shoes, Ronaldo continued to play even with barefoot. Until finally, this Brazilian man’s talent was seen by the Cruzeiro team in 1993.
Throughout his career, Ronaldo had defended various big European clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ibrahimovic grew up in the Rosengard district, Malmo, Sweden. The region was more well-known for robbing the children’s lives rather than producing brilliant footballers.
Raised by a drunken father and harsh mother made Zlatan took the initiative to develop his own talent. He often played football on the streets of Rosengard, before finally starting to perform with the local team.
For having great potential, it did not take long for Zlatan to become a great footballer.
- Alexis Sanchez
Before becoming a football star today, Sanchez had felt the bitterness of life. This Chilean star was born to a poor family. He even had ever been a janitor to a car wash.
While playing on the street with balls made of lumps of cloth, Sanchez grew his desire to seriously pursue his talents. Due to his frequent performance with his friends, Sanchez began to take several local teams until he was able to join Cobreloa’s CD team and move to Italy.
- Neymar Jr.
Like other Brazilian footballers, Neymar was getting familiar with football not from the pitch but the dusty streets at his hometown, Mogi das Cruzes, a small city in the southern region of Brazil.
After starting to join the local team, Neymar’s talent attracted various Brazilian coaches. Success with Santos, Neymar continued his journey to Europe and became the world’s most expensive player.
- Dani Alves
Start his morning with farming, Dani Alves often stole time to be able to play football. After playing on the streets with their neighbors, Alves managed to grow his talent in the local team.
Having moved to various positions, Alves finally succeeded in finding his position as a right-back. Until now, Alves has played for several of Europe’s top clubs and becomes one of the best talents from Brazil.
So, those are the footballers who started their careers on the streets. Whose story is your favorite? Please write your comments below and don’t forget to like and share …