Manchester United player, Antony has spoken up about his “hellish” background as a youngster and revealed why his detractors who called him a “clown” are merely misinterpreting him.
The Brazilian winger, who has played an important role for the Selecao team over the last year, is presently ready to compete in his first World Cup.
However, the 22-year-old highlighted the difficulties he had to face on his route to the top before the tournament in Qatar, including encountering a “dead corpse” on his way to school.
Antony stated in a statement to the Players Tribune: “I was born in hell. That’s not a joke. For my European friends who don’t know, the favela where I grew up in São Paulo is actually called Inferninho — “little hell.”
“It is an infamous place. Fifteen steps from our front door, there were always drug dealers doing their business, passing stuff hand-to-hand. The smell was constantly outside our window.”
The Manchester United winger was born and raised in Brazil and joined the So Paulo academy at the age of 10 where he remained for eight years.
“Every day, my older brother would take me to the square to play football. In the favela, everyone plays. Kids, old men, teachers, construction workers, bus drivers, drug dealers, gangsters. There, everyone is equal,” continued the Brazilian.
“I was small, but I dribbled with a meanness that came from God. Dribbling was always something inside me. It was a natural instinct. And I refused to bow my head to anyone. I would elastico the drug dealers. Rainbow the bus drivers. Nutmeg the thieves. I really did not give a f***.”
