Liverpool striker Luis Suarez admits he almost was lost to the game at 16.
Suarez once turned down an invite to Uruguay's FA academy because he could not afford to buy a pair of boots.
He decided that instead of quitting, he would dedicate himself to the game.
He told the Daily Star Sunday: "Yes, it was a really hard time growing up.
"As you can imagine, coming from a large family we did not have many resources at home, which meant we had to carry on with a very normal life full of sacrifices.
"I kept on fighting, though, and working hard.
"When I look at my past I think about my friends growing up, all the dirt fields and the streets of Montevideo I played on.
"I can not help but feel proud of what I have achieved. Yes, I was a kid and I had to fight for everything.
"It was very hard for me as that kid to make it as a footballer in Uruguay. That is why I play so hard now.
"I just do not want to miss any opportunities I have. I do not know if that kid is still inside me. Not any more.
"But I remember playing without shoes. We just did not have that kind of money."
