Everton new boy Richarlison has claimed that the sport of football is his saviour as it kept him from going down a very dark path growing up in his native Brazil.
The winger joined the Toffees for an initial £35m deal that should rise to £50m with add-ons. He will be the club's most expensive player if it does come to that. However, according to the player, things could have turned out very differently had it not been for football.
The Brazilian only knew poverty as a youth, having lived in a slum in Espirito Santo, and managed to escape the rampant drug dealing and various other criminal activities by sticking close to his mother, whom he sold ice cream with, before finding comfort in football.