8 inspiring rags to riches stories of footballers

Ever wonder how your favourite footballer rose to success? For many footballers, it was not as simple as being scouted or joining a football academy where their only concern was the sport. Many footballers have a life filled with harsh memories, losses, financial struggles, and displacement. Their stories are inspirational as they persevered and came out of their hardship for themselves and their families. 

Here are some of the inspirational stories which haunt some of our favourite footballers: 

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

Cristiano was not a legend by birth, but he made a decision early on that most certainly changed his life. He decided to become the world's best despite growing up on the remote island of Madeira in Portugal, to a family that struggled to make ends meet and a father struggled with alcoholism. Ronaldo's mother was the sole provider of the family and made sure of their financial security, supporting the family by working as a chef and a maid. Due to their dreadful financial conditions, Ronaldo's three siblings and he shared a room as a child. Despite coming from a financially unstable family, he still found time to pursue his dreams and play the sport he loved.

He had such a passion for the game that when they were unable to purchase a ball, he would make one out of rags and bottles. Indeed, Ronaldo's talent was recognised, and after competing for two amateur teams on the island, he was given the chance to train with Sporting CP, one of Portugal's most prestigious football clubs. However, this recognition did not come without sacrifice. At the young age of 11, he had to make the decision of leaving his home and his family. Fortunately, this sacrifice led him on the path to achieving his dream and stardom.

In just six years, his talent, commitment to training, and skill on the field led him to becoming the youngest player ever to sign with Europe's most prominent professional football league, Manchester United. Since then, Ronaldo has amassed an impressive list of achievements. When Ronaldo transferred from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 for a reported 94 million euros, he set a new record for the most expensive football player ever. Some people regard him as the top player in the world right now.

Lionel Messi, Argentina 

Messi has been a football prodigy since he was young. He could easily slip to the goalpost due to his small height. However, he has trouble scoring due to a significant growth hormone deficit. His family was unable to pay for his care. Messi's father issued Barcelona an ultimatum when they first learned of him, saying that he would only allow his son to play if they paid for his medical care. Barcelona agreeing to this ultimatum paid off well as Messi is now one of the most popular footballers in the world and recognised as one of the world's top goal scorers. Messia, who formerly could not afford medical care, now has two opulent homes—one in Barcelona and one in his home country Argentina and multiple other lavish investments.  

Neymar Jr, Brazil

Neymar experienced extreme poverty and a deprived upbringing. His father supported his family by working three jobs. Their poverty was so extreme that their electricity went out at times. Neymar claimed that while he was growing up, his parents could not even buy the most basic necessities. When his mother could not afford to buy him a cookie one day, he assured her that he would soon become very wealthy from his career in football and purchase a large cookie factory. Although he and his family have gone through financial hardships and struggles, Neymar is now among the most well-known and expensive players in the world, and the cookie factory is no longer a dream. 

Angel Di Maria, Argentina 

When Di Maria was young, he worked in a coal mine with his sisters and father while living in extreme poverty. As a child, he was quite restless. In order to channel his bursting energy, Di Maria's doctor advised him to participate in sports, thus beginning his football journey. He became proficient in street football but his financial distress prevented his parents from investing in his football career. When he was noticed by scouts and recruiters, he would often request to be paid in footballs so that he could play more. His passion for the sport grew deeper and eventually, Di Mara joined the local club, Rosario Central, in 1995 and completed the youth program in 2005. 

His life in poverty is all in the past; he is widely considered one of the world's best wingers in the world and signed with Benfica at the age of 19 in 2007. With him on the team, Benfica won its first league title in five years, the Primeira Liga, and two Taça da Liga titles. From there, he joined Real Madrid in 2010 proving himself to be a versatile footballer. 

Gabriel Fernando de Jesus, Brazil

In Sao Paulo's northern sprawl, in the Jardim Peri neighbourhood, Jesus spent his childhood where street football became his passion. His family dynamics had a role to play in the footballer he is today as his father had abandoned the family and his mother, Vera Lucia, instilled in him values of discipline and hard work. Vera worked as a domestic help to make ends meet and raise Jesus and his older siblings on her own. To this day, Vera and Jesus share an impenetrable bond and respect for each other. 

Jesus is adored by those who knew him as a child now, and he still feels a deep connection to the neighbourhood. Today, he has become a local hero at Palmeiras and a role model to the younger players.

Luis Suarez, Uruguay 

Suarez was raised in a family of nine. Although he excelled at football, he lacked the proper footwear and was unable to invest in any. According to reports, Suarez worked as a street sweeper when he met his wife and collected pennies from the streets to buy her a date. 

Today, Suarez's net worth is reported to have around $84 million, and has multiple brand endorsements with Adidas, Pepsi, and tourism Malaysia. Affording dates and worrying about how his meal would come is a worry of the past; he and his family live in comfort in Barcelona where he owns an individual villa along with many luxury cars.

Luka Modric, Croatia 

Luka grew up in a run-down motel with his refugee family as a Croatian. He had a childhood marred by conflict. The 1991-1995 war with Serbian rebels, during which Zadar and the surrounding region were heavily shelled, toughened Modric. He would travel through bombing and seek our shelter with his friends on their way to training. Moreover, at the age of six, his family was compelled to leave their house because of Croatia's war of independence from Serbia, and took shelter in refugee camps. When the coach of a nearby football academy discovered the youngster playing football in the hotel parking lot, the family could barely afford to feed him properly. He was taken in by the academy, where he had to train under watchful eyes with everyone else prepared to flee for their lives if grenades started falling on the practice fields. 

Persevering in a literal battlefield, Luka is now among the top midfielders in the world and wears the Nike Mercurial Vapour 14 cleats for all his club and international games. Additionally, he is the brand ambassador of Nike, SofaScore, and OlyBet, and also works with multiple charities. 

Victor Moses, Nigeria

Victor Moses was born in Lagos, Nigeria, where he received little formal education and had no knowledge of the English language. His parents were killed in a religious dispute while he was watching a street football game that he used to play. In dire need of financial assistance, family and friends shifted the 11-year-old to London as an asylum seeker since his life was also in danger in Lagos. After being ultimately placed in a foster home in London, he was awarded a scholarship and allowed to enrol in the Crystal Palace academy.

Moses is now one of the richest and most influential footballers in Nigeria. The veteran footballer owns a mansion in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria with a state-of-the-art swimming pool, kitchen, gym, cinema, and advanced security systems, and lives blissfully with his wife and children. His garage might be an illustration of how successful Moses' career has been which houses a Mercedes Benz AMG G63 valued at 135,000 pounds and Ford Edge valued at 35,000 dollars along with Aston Martin, Ferrari 458 Italia, BMW i8, and so on. 

Carlos Bacca, Colombia

Bacca worked as a bus driver's assistant up until the age of 20. He also had a side job as a fisherman because this was not enough for him to make ends meet. He participated in local competitions until getting his big break at the age of 23 when he made it to a professional league.
He now makes a strike for Colombia however, his career is filled with many club transfers. Bacca's goal-scoring prowess has taken the spotlight and rapidly gained his position as one of Europe's deadliest attackers. Bacca's career has undoubtedly exceeded his wildest expectations, especially given that he grew up in poverty in Puerto Colombia and struggled to make ends meet.