It all began in the 'Little Hell'. That's the name given to the favela where Antony grew up, in the north of Sao Paulo. It's where the 23-year-old first learned his dribbling skills, the most striking characteristic of his game.
There, the Brazilian needed to dribble past foes far tougher than those he's encountered on Premier League pitches so far.
In the Little Hell - or Inferninho, to give the favela its Portuguese name - Antony saw people's lives ruined by crime. His family, too, were facing their own issues.
"I saw a lot of people going down a path that wasn't right, do you know what I mean?" he tells FourFourTwo now. "I saw people losing their lives - it was our reality back then. There were days when I didn't have much to eat. My parents always did everything they could for us, but it was really tough. We starved, but we always kept our heads high. I had a dream and my family lived it with me."
That dream was to become a footballer and it ended up transforming his life. At the age of 11, he was invited for a trial at Sao Paulo, the same club he'd cheered on from the stands as a supporter. Unsurprisingly, the skinny boy drew attention for his skills on the ball and not only passed the test but stayed at the club for almost a decade, climbing through the age groups until he reached Sao Paulo's first team in 2018. Antony no longer had to watch his heroes from the stands - he was beside them on the pitch.
After his first few games as a professional footballer, he would still return to the same humble house in Inferninho. Those early performances caught Ajax's attention, and by 2020 he was heading to Europe for two successful seasons in Amsterdam under Erik ten Hag, the man who brought him to Old Trafford last August.
Bu hikaye FourFourTwo UK dergisinin Summer 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye FourFourTwo UK dergisinin Summer 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
How Liverpool have changed under new manager Arne Slot
The Reds have had to adapt to life without their legendary boss Jurgen Klopp, But their new managers tactical tweaks showed highly promising early signs
Why Cole Palmer is an absolute genius on a football pitch
Chelsea’s attacking star attracts plenty of mirth for his interviews, but he often displays unrivalled intelligence in the heat of Premier League action
CORINTHIANS X SENNA 2018-19
Kit connoisseur Phil Delves looks back at an ultimate 'collab shirt' from South America - one that heralded a black and gold craze
"THE MISSILE SIRENS WOULD START DURING TRAINING, SO WE'D HAVE TO GO INSIDE AND TAKE COVER"
The Welsh international striker recalls growing up in Africa, humiliation at Derby and air strikes in Israel, not to mention a certain hat-tricks record...
"I SWAPPED SHIRTS WITH ETO'O AFTER MY DEBUT HE PROBABLY USED MINE ON HIS WINDOWS"
The lifelong Magpie opens up about earning Sir Bobby’s trust, his new career in the Middle East, and how Ruud van Nistelrooy knew I wanted to kick him”
"SVEN GOT IN TOUCH TO SEE IF I'D BE KEEN ON PLAYING FOR ENGLAND THAT MADE ME SO PROUD"
The former Italian shot-stopper tells FourFourTwo about following in his father’s footsteps at Milan and the game that changed Chelsea forever...
Why Thomas Tuchel is the perfect fit for the England job
The new gaffer might not have been born and bred in Barnsley, but he’s long proved himself to be particularly astute in high-profile knockout competitions
GREEN SHOOTS
Less than two years ago, Saint-Etienne were at real risk of relegation to the semi-professional third tier - unthinkable for a club who were the finest in France throughout the 1960s and '70s. Now Les Verts are back in the big time following last term's Ligue 2 play-off success. Oh, and they're also billionaires...
Why I love Scottish football
The legendary goal-getter recounts his strangest tales, featuring Graeme Souness punch-ups, broken sofas, Duncan Ferguson's errant pigeon and, of course, Gazza...
A MATCH WITH THE MONKS THE GREATEST COMPETITION PRIZE EVER
A globe-trotting FourFourTwo has gone beyond even Tanzania’s borders this month. American fan Matthew Eide of the Far Away Football blog ventured to equally mountainous Bhutan, after winning the most unusual of raffles...