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A Fire Killed 10 Boys in Brazil, and Exposed the Underbelly of the Soccer Business

Dado Galdieri for The New York Times

RIO DE JANEIRO — Even in death the haggling went on.

Christian Esmério was going to be the one — his family had been sure of it.

He was 15 and towering, a soccer player with an easy smile that belied his prowess between the goal posts. Already there was talk of contracts, and of buying a home for his parents, who had poured all their savings into the dream that their son might be the next great Brazilian soccer export — the next Ronaldo, Ronaldinho or Neymar.

Now, his father stood in a daze of grief outside a Rio office building, surrounded by lawyers.