Raphinha has opened up on how his life could have been very different had it not been for football. The Leeds United winger grew up in Port Alegre in his native Brazil, an area of the country that is notorious for violence and the drug trade.
It would have been easy for a young man like Raphinha, from an extremely poor family, to end up working on the streets but his ability with a football at his feet took him away from that eventuality. In his interview with Sky Sports, he explained how he hopes he is now an inspiration for children growing up in similar situations.
“Football saved me. It didn't just allow me to change my life, it allowed me to become an example for children and adults who might also have hard lives, coming from similar places,” he claimed. “If you take the wrong path, the easy route, it can often cost you in the long-term for the rest of your life.
