The Brazilian international recently spoke to us about his first steps into football back home, his heroes in the English game and how he's finding life in his new surroundings...



How was it growing up in Brazil?

I was really happy during my childhood in the area where I grew up. I had many friends in the neighbourhood, always playing football in the streets. My father signed me up for football training when I was only four and my grandfather also used to take me. My family have always supported me to develop my football. When I was 10 I started playing for Atletico Mineiro and that was the start of my professional career. I played for Atletico and Internacional and then moved to Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk. My family supported me a lot and I'm very thankful for them. They were always by my side supporting my dream - it was their dream, too. And today I'm here in Manchester, in this country that is so different to Brazil and Belo Horizonte but I'm adapting well. My first son is going to be born here. I like this country a lot and I hope I can stay here for many years.



You then went on to score your first professional goal against Atletico, for Internacional...

It was such a mixture of feelings. I was very emotional and happy, to understand that I was now a professional. My first goal as a professional and against the club I used to play for and had supported since I was a kid. All of my family support Atletico. On top of that, it was in my city, Belo Horizonte. My family were all there in the stadium - it was amazing. I was really happy with that goal and it was also against Ronaldinho, someone I admire a lot. Unfortunately we lost the game but it still gave me a lot of happiness.