By Rob Dawson August 9, 2024 4:04am ET
Manchester United's Anthony admitted he is still struggling to adjust to his rise from a difficult upbringing in Brazil to becoming a Premier League footballer.
The forward has come under heavy criticism for his performances since his £85million move to Old Trafford from Ajax in 2022.
Editor’s Recommendation
2 Related
While the 24-year-old insists he is not looking for excuses, he says the transition from growing up in a favela to life as a millionaire footballer has been “difficult”.
“It's hard to deal with all this because we started from nothing and now we have almost everything easily,” Anthony said.
“We didn't have enough food, and when we lived in the slums we didn't have a bedroom. We slept on the sofa in the living room, and when it rained heavily our house flooded.
“People don't realise these things. I always push myself to play well so I don't use it as an excuse for my performance.”
Anthony grew up in Inferniño, a poor neighbourhood on the outskirts of São Paulo, and joined São Paulo at the age of 10 in 2010, making his senior debut as a teenager in 2018.
After just one season with Sao Paulo's first team, he joined Ajax in 2020 before quickly moving to United in 2022.
“Life in the slums is very difficult and I lived in the slums for 19 years, so my childhood was very difficult,” he said.
“There were times when I didn't even have cleats to play football in and not enough to eat. It's difficult for me to talk about my upbringing because it really moves me. It's no coincidence that I have a tattoo of the slum where I grew up on my back.”
Anthony joined Manchester United in 2022. Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
“I've seen many of my friends take different paths and some lose their lives. Even when people talk about me or criticize me, I always find solace in where I come from.”
“I truly know what it's like to be at the bottom, so I will never let anyone write my story or put me down.”
Anthony was given an extended break last season following domestic violence allegations in Brazil and the UK but has returned to United this season.
The player acknowledges off-field issues have affected his form on the pitch but says he is ready for the new season after “growing and maturing”.
“I have a lot of goals, some I've written for myself and some for this new season,” he said. “I always set targets for myself that I need to improve on, like getting more participation in goals or more assists.”
“I write things down on paper, not on my phone. I'm constantly writing things down on paper to make sure I'm always improving. I've written down more goals for this season and I look at them every day.”
“For me, it's really important, being able to visualize it, picture it in my head and then go on the field with that in mind.”