Former Leeds United winger Raphinha has opened up about his tough upbringing and growing up with friends in the world of crime - some of which were involved in drug trafficking.
The 25-year-old made the big-money switch to Barcelona in the summer - a move Raphinha describes as being a dream considering the start to his life. He joined the Whites from Rennes in 2020 and quickly established himself as a consistent Premier League performer, scoring six times and grabbed 10 assists in his first season at the club.
However, after netting 11 goals last season, Barcelona captured his services in the summer for a fee in the region of £55million which was Leeds' record sale. Raphinha has struggled for form since his move to the Camp Nou, scoring once and notching just one assist in seven appearances. He did make his Champions League debut on Tuesday, though, with Barca losing 2-0 at Bayern Munich.
Despite his noticeable talents as a footballer, Raphinha, who comes from Restigna in Porto Alegre, has revealed that he had to battle through some tough times as a kid - including when he lost friends because they fell into criminal activities. Raphinha also added that this example was an important factor in him keeping his focus to became a professional.
"It's hard to follow your path and not go astray. Opportunities appear, and there are many. They promise an easier way to earn money. And that's where people get lost. I never got out of the way, but I was a witness, I walked alongside people who were getting lost," Raphinha told Marca.
"I lost many friends in the world of crime, in drug trafficking... Friends who played ten times better than me and who could have been in the greatest soccer club in the world.
"Having these examples close by was an important factor in keeping my focus. I knew what I wanted from a very young age: to be a footballer. Achieving this goal by leaving a neighbourhood is a great sacrifice. But my ambition was even greater. I did not deviate. If they speak today of my 'magic' in football, I say... this is the real magic."
How many goals will Raphinha score this season? Let us know in the comments below!
Having already decided to leave Leeds, Raphinha admitted he had a "a lot of offers" from clubs but claimed there was only one option in his head and that was Barcelona. He cited the reason to join the Catalan giants was because of all of his footballing idols played there, including Ronaldinho.
"I couldn't talk to him [Ronaldinho] before coming here," Raphinha said. "But I'm sure he would tell me to follow my dream."
