Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Paulista has recently spoken about how he grew up and the hardships that he had to endure in the Brazilian slums. For him it seems, football was an escape from that nightmare, and that escape has turned both his and his mum’s life around.
Prior to his career in football, Gabriel lived in the slums of Southern Sao Paulo which are notorious for their crime and poverty levels. Now, speaking to Arsenal Player, the 24-year-old claims that his desire to provide a better life for his mother was what drove him to a career in football.
She lived in a shack in a favela, I talk about it because I am not ashamed of saying it, and today I am proud of being able to help her, to give her a better life, and me as well because I always dreamed about it. Thanks to God, things are coming true.
Gabriel claims that he witnessed thefts, killings and much worse during his childhood and is glad that he remained strong and fought against the odds to break into the football scene so as to improve his families standard of living.
I have seen many things on the outdoor neighbourhood pitches. I have seen death, I have witnessed robberies, I’ve been robbed in Sao Paulo. I’ve seen many things. I practically grew up with this.
But thanks to God I took a path in my life because, for all that I have seen, for the bad things I have witnessed, my life could have been very different.
But I was strong. I thought about my mother’s story and told myself that my mother couldn’t go through this anymore. She can’t, she must have a better life. So thanks to God I took a different path and am here today.
I am fulfilling a dream I had since I was little, and thanks to God things are moving in the right direction.
Before his move to the Gunners earlier this year, Gabriel had previously played for Villarreal and Vitoria, thereby earning his way through the footballing ranks. As such, he follows a long history of Brazilians who used football to escape their poverty-ridden lives and now, the Brazilian hopes that his success story can motivate other young Brazilians who have had an equally difficult childhood to follow their dreams and earn a life that they deserve.
Everybody knows about the corruption happening, and every day is a surprise, so I think Brazilians don’t like seeing that, but the kids have so many opportunities to play. Every neighbourhood has a football academy for the kids to follow this path, which is something I also want for the neighbourhood where I was born.
I want to serve as a mirror to them, for them to see that I have gone through difficult times and managed to do it, and see that they can do it too. It’s not just me. If you work hard and respect the people above us, you can do it.
Having only joined the Gunners recently, Gabriel has already won the FA Cup and FA Community Shield and was also part of the rigid defence that recently overcame Manchester United at the Emirates. Hopefully, both Gabriel’s words and his story will act as ample inspiration for other young, deprived people so that they too can fight their way into society and live a life of comfort, rather than fear.
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