Brazilian winger Denilson packed plenty into his 16-year-old career.
A Selecao debut as a teenager was quickly followed by victories in the Copa America and Confederations Cup, before he was part of the World Cup 98 squad that lost in the final to France.
Later that summer, Denilson would become the world’s most expensive player, when Real Betis stumped up £21.5million to take him from Sao Paulo to La Liga, while his career would then take in stops in France, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Vietnam, with his part in Brazil’s 2002 World Cup winning squad a career highlight.
Denilson on his Bolton trial
But despite turning out for nine clubs and winning 61 caps for Brazil, Denilson never played in the Premier League - although he almost had the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Ivan Campo, Youri Djorkaeff and Fernando Hierro with a late stop off at Bolton Wanderers.
“Later in my career, I even came close to the Premier League,” Denilson tells FourFourTwo. “In early 2009, I nearly joined Bolton.
“I still don’t fully know why it fell through. Maybe internal politics, agents with more influence.
"I spent a week training there. The sessions were brutal physically, even more so as I’d been inactive, but I got through them.
“One day, a staff member showed me my parking spot, gave me the remote for the training ground gate and even pointed out my locker. To me, that meant it was done. All that was left, I thought, was signing the contract.
“But the next day, they told me the manager had opted for another player instead – a centre-forward, Ariza Makukula, who had played at Sevilla. Likely an agent with stronger connections.”
Denilson’s next move saw him sign a three-month contract with Brazilian side Itumbiara, but he would make only one cup appearance for the Serie D side.
He would make just one appearance at his next side, Vietnamese club Hai Phong, in which he scored a free kick after just two minutes, but injury prevented him from turning out again.
His final club move was to Greek side Kavala, but he was released just four months into a two-year deal without having played a single game, as a career which promised so much so early petered out.
