How Denilson went from the streets to the world's most expensive player

"When Brazilian winger Denilson made his world record 21.5million move from Sao Paulo to Real Betis shortly before his 21st birthday in 1998, he was heralded as the Selecao's next superstar. And while Denilson would go on to win 61 Brazilian caps and make more than 500 career appearances, he never quite reached his potential, with FourFourTwo ranking him at No.1 in a 2015 rundown of disappointing club record signings."

"What truly fascinated me as a child was the street football, those endless two-versus-two battles, with the goals marked out by a pair of flip-flops, Denilson tells us. Being left-footed, I'd constantly beg to borrow someone else's left boot. My parents couldn't afford to keep buying me new pairs, and since I played non-stop, my boots wore out quickly. Sometimes I'd end up playing with one bare right foot and someone else's boot on my left."

"Beyond the street kickabouts, I grew up in the varzea the gritty, uneven dirt pitches of Sao Paulo's amateur football scene. It's where I learned two priceless lessons. The first was losing any fear. The varzea toughened me up I was always playing against older, stronger lads and got intimidated a lot in the beginning. Over time, I became braver."

Denilson moved from São Paulo to Real Betis in 1998 for a then world-record fee shortly before his 21st birthday. He won 61 caps for Brazil and made over 500 career appearances across a 17-year professional career that included six major tournaments. He never fully met expectations arising from his transfer and was later regarded as a disappointing record signing. He learned football on the streets and in São Paulo's varzea, practicing two-versus-two battles and playing with worn boots. The varzea taught him fearlessness and toughness. Dribbling became his primary weapon and he developed a thick skin from constant physical challenges.

Read at www.fourfourtwo.com