How To Become The Best Player In The World: Grow Up Playing Barefoot In Favelas:

Now Chelsea's Brazilian centreback Alex is by no means the Best Player In The World but he has made it to the big time - after growing up "playing football barefoot on the dusty streets of the favelas in Rio de Janiero."

Perhaps he played in scenes like this one:



‘Some kids had shoes and some kids didn’t,’ says Alex. ‘So we all played the same, in bare feet, just so the kids who didn’t have shoes didn’t feel bad. It was a tough place. No proper roads, no running water. I guess what you would expect.'

‘Then one day there was this tournament, organised by Nike. They gave out boots to all the kids, organised an event on proper pitches. We just played in the street. And I was spotted by a couple of scouts, who then organised a few trials with some clubs.' (Source)