There is a common misconception about Rodrigo Possebon.
Older Manchester United supporters will remember a highly talented player whose career was cut short following a horrific challenge in only his third senior appearance for the team.
It is true to a degree, but it doesn't quite tell the full story.
When you search for his name online, you'll find a number of videos that serve as time capsules for the era in which they were produced. These videos feature grainy footage of a majestic midfielder orchestrating games to deafening, distorted dance music that was likely downloaded from LimeWire.
Then there is the video of his injury, one that is prefaced with a warning before it begins to play.
Possebon, then 19, did not break his leg, as the title wrongly states, not that semantics are necessary. The teenager was carried from the field, breathing oxygen via a mask to help with the pain, with an obvious gash to his right leg.
While the horrific injury did not quite end his career, it certainly cut it short. However, it also set Possebon on a different path, one that now finds him as Director of Football at Ferroviária SAF, still aged just 33.
"As a kid, I always followed European football, the Champions League, but mainly the Premier League. So when there was the possibility to join Manchester United, that's where I wanted to go," he tells the Manchester Evening News. "My childhood dream was always to play for a club at the highest level. So when I heard about the interest, I got very excited."
Possebon was signed by United in 2008 after being discovered by John Calvert-Toulmin, Ferguson's go-to scout based in Brazil.
"I remember it well. John followed me during my youth career in Brazil, when I was at Internacional in Porto Alegre. He was a person who helped me a lot in my career, both in my adaptation in the UK and the local culture, both in the technical aspects on the game, as well as with a lot of advice that I carry to this day in my role as a Director of Football."
Possebon's services were so highly recommended that United agreed to pay £3million, with Ferguson well aware of the enormous potential the teenager had.
He would be joining a side that was about to win a Premier League and Champions League double, and would be learning from the likes of Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves in the heart of the midfield.
Possebon would also join fellow Brazilian midfielder Anderson at Old Trafford. Though, having grown up in the United States, the United new boy was a lot more at home with the language.
"I had a quick adaptation, both at the club and in the UK. I already spoke English, which accelerated the adaptation process, and the club gave me all the support I needed for my stabilisation.
"To be honest, I didn't find it too hard to adapt. I started playing competitive football when I was eight and having lived in the United States I was used to changing environments, whether cultural, climate and customs.
"The club had a very good atmosphere. In addition, all the people in Carrington were very affectionate and solicitous, as they were used to receiving players from other countries. I particularly had a good relationship with all the players, but obviously through language, I was closer to Rafael, Fabio, Anderson, Nani and Ronaldo."
Possebon made a strong start at United and quickly stood out in the reserves for his poise and inventiveness in possession, two qualities deemed crucial for any young midfielder wanting to break into the main squad.
"Rodrigo is a cracking lad and is getting better and better," United Academy manager Les Kershaw said. "At the moment he is not playing the English game. We go for the 4-4-2 system, but Rodrigo would be totally comfortable in the first team if we had a three-man midfield and he was the sitting player.
"But these are just little adjustments. You don't change the quality of the player. We are working on him. He's improving rapidly."
Like any youngster, an element of luck is needed to get a breakthrough. Possebon didn't have to wait long to get it.
With United suffering from an injury crisis at the start of their pre-season tour, Possebon along with fellow teenagers Craig Cathcart and Tom Cleverley were flown out to South Africa for the first-team's penultimate match against Kaizer Chiefs.
Possebon and Cathcart were both thrown in from the start of the 4-0 win, but it was fellow midfielder Cleverley who made the headlines when he netted the third goal of the match.
"Possebon will stay as he has potential for first-team football while Cleverley is just a young lad and has time on his side. All the young players have good potential," Sir Alex Ferguson beamed at full-time.
It was the two English youngsters who'd go on to feature in the following pre-season matches against Espanyol and Peteborough, but with United's injury problems still not solved, Possebon featured from the bench in their final friendly outing against Juventus.
“We’ve got a group of young players who are doing very well and showing fantastic potential,” said Ferguson of the latest youth contingent. “Rafael Da Silva, his brother Fabio, Rodrigo Possebon, Darron Gibson, Jonny Evans and Danny Welbeck are the type of youngsters we’ve always tried to have here in the last 15 years or so.
"They can take over from the younger lads in the squad who will move into the middle-age section and they, in time, become the older players. That’s what you call managing change.”
Possebon's reward was a place on the bench as United defeated Portsmouth on penalties to lift the Charity Shield. In the space of eight months, he had already tasted silverware at Wembley.
"It was fantastic. I was young, and seeing how those great players prepared for and faced a crucial game was an unforgettable experience."
Amid an injury crisis, the Brazilian youngster found himself on the bench again for the opening match of the season, this time going one better as he made his senior debut as a second-half substitute.
"I remember absolutely everything. I did the pre-season with the first team, I had a sequence of games in the pre-season. It was our first Premier League game of the season, the stadium was completely full, as it usually is.
"I came in for Giggs, I was very confident when I came on and I believe I had a good game, as the boss after the match gave me a positive word."
Possebon would get another chance the week later, too. This time, he came off the bench as United held on for a 1-0 victory at Portsmouth. He'd even get his own chant.
"Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, Posse, Possebon," serenaded the faithful travelling support as the floppy-haired midfielder replaced compatriot Anderson to help his side see out the match.
He'd remain an unused substitute as United lost to Zenit in the Super Cup out in Monaco and would have to wait another month before his next chance in the side.
"It was my first match in the starting XI. I was in very good shape, both physically and technically. I was playing a good game that night until in the second half I suffered that injury."
Just as Kershaw had predicted, Possebon would make his mark in a three-man midfield. He was chosen to start alongside Anderson and Giggs for the visit of Middlesbrough in the League Cup.
Things were going well, and he was keeping possession neatly in the heart of the midfield. But with the scores level in the 66th minute, a loose ball presented itself in midfield.
The United youngster rushed to win it, as did Emanuel Pogatetz with an almighty force. The ball flew up in the air and Possebon followed, along with a red card for the Boro captain.
As the Austrian was given his marching orders, the teenager was given gas and air to ease the pain. His leg wasn't broken, but his confidence would be.
"It looked a really bad one. For the kid to make his first team debut and get an injury like that it was pretty horrendous," said Ferguson at full-time.
"For 10 minutes everyone was numb about it. I have seen a video of it and you don't want to see that again. We just hope it is not really, really serious, but it looks bad."
Thankfully, it wouldn't actually be too long before he would be back in action.
"I would like to take the opportunity to clarify that this injury took me only 30 days from the activities; following that I was already training again and playing. I’m saying that because a lot of people were saying that I had a broken leg," Possebon explains.
"Getting injured is never good, mainly because I was in a good sequence of games, but I never thought that the injury could end my career.
"Before the injury, I was in great physical and technical shape, so the period that I was off the activities with the squad hindered me from having opportunities in the team again. Manchester United had one of the best teams on the planet at the time, so having an opportunity in the squad again was not an easy thing."
A month later, Possebon was not only back in training but back in the starting line-up. He lined up to face QPR in the fourth round victory and would do so again against Blackburn in the quarter-final.
"It was not really Brazilian weather, but I think the performance was like Brazil," he said of the win against QPR. "I have got what happened to me against Middlesbrough out of my head, so it was good to have a chance in the first team again."
Possebon only made two more appearances in Premier League squads that season, returning to the bench for the home match against Middlesbrough in December. Though he remained an unused substitute.
Two more cameos would come from the bench in the FA Cup as well as a runout on the final day of the season away at Hull as United wrapped up the title with ease. Pogatetz and Middlesbrough were relegated.
Possebon only made the bench once in United's run to the Champions League final, where they were beaten by Barcelona in Rome, though he did get one taste of cup final success that season, being named on the bench for the League Cup final win over Tottenham.
"Lots of good memories, the atmosphere at Wembley was fantastic. It was a very significant title for me, as I had played several matches in that competition. It was a hard match, Tottenham had a strong team, with names like Luka Modric and Gareth Bale, we won on penalties."
Even though things hadn't turned out as well as he hoped, Possebon ended the season having made eight senior appearances for United.
He had still shown signs of real promise, but knew regular game time was essential if he was going to take his game to the next level.
After talks with his agent, Jorge Mendes, Possebon agreed to join Portuguese side Braga on a season-long loan. But rather than build his confidence, the loan dented it again.
Possebon only made one appearance for Braga, in their Europa League qualifying defeat to Elfsborg, and was taken off after just 34 minutes by coach Domingos Paciência.
The Braga boss was so irate that he vowed never to play Possebon again and attempted to terminate his loan move after just two months. He was frozen out until January, before eventually being recalled by United.
"The intention with the loan was to have more minutes, since getting game opportunities in that squad at United, was not an easy situation.
"I was adapted to the game in England at that time and when I arrived in Portugal they were playing a different game model and I could not get the sequence that I was expecting. In the end it was worth the experience of knowing another country and another league."
With the failed loan move not having helped any of the parties, it was decided the young midfielder would be best suited in the reserve side, before his future was revaluated again at the end of the season.
Under the guidance of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he rediscovered form in the heart of the United midfield, playing a key role as they went on to win the Reserve League that season.
It was to be a bittersweet time. Possebon was happy to be back playing football, but it was not in the first team as he had tasted when he first moved to Manchester.
"The highlight was having played Premier League games for the first team, having played games in the League Cup, being involved in the Champions League.
"In general I can consider the entire period when I was at the club as a highlight. Working with the greatest manager of all time and being able to learn from him, especially to my today’s role, was very enriching for me, not to mention the great players that I had the opportunity to live with and play with.
"I have no regrets. Playing for Manchester United was a dream come true. More than that, I learned a lot and it gave me incredible experience to carry out my activity today as a Director of Football. The whole environment that involves a club like Manchester United, the level of professionals, the pressure, the demands, living in the UK, were fundamental to shaping me as director of football."
Possebon would leave United at the end of the season, returning to Brazil to sign for Santos. He made 30 appearances for them over two seasons, scoring one goal, before signing for Italian club Vicenza.
After a spell there, he went back to Brazil to play for Serie B side Criciuma before moving to Mirassol, where he didn’t play a single senior game.
He then dropped down to fourth-tier Brazilian team Juventude, before moving back up to Serie B side Nautico. Then, at the age of 25, he was without a club for two years as he contemplated his next step.
After playing non-league football in Brazil with URT, Possebon eventually signed with Passo Fundo and subsequently Athletico Sports Club. With one final roll of the dice, he joined Vietnamese side Ho Chí Minh City, but before the season had even started, he was released after he struggled to recover from a back injury.
It might have signalled the end of his playing career, but Possebon was keen to put his wealth of experience to good use. Rather than seeing his setbacks as negatives, he used them as learning curves, something that has helped him in his new role as Director of Football for Ferroviária in Brazil.
"I played for clubs at all levels of the world of football. I played for Manchester United, which is the top of football. I played for Santos, one of the most traditional clubs in the history of football. There we won many important titles, such as the Copa Libertadores da América.
"I played in low level clubs in Brazil, I have played in Portugal, Italy, Bahrain, Vietnam. I made promotions in different divisions of Brazilian football. I had the experience of living and playing with players of all levels and nationalities.
"I went through clubs with a lot of money and others with a lot of financial difficulties, and with all that, I can say that all this experience was fundamental for me to become a Director of Football, besides, of course, of the entire study I completed to perform in this role.
