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When the going gets tough for Willy Caballero , there is always one person who gives him the motivation to stand and fight.

It’s not Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, nor is it good friend and fellow Argentinian Pablo Zabaleta but someone much closer to home – inspirational teenage daughter Guillermina.

As a three-year-old, Guillermina was diagnosed with a rare retinal cancer, affecting both her eyes, and Caballero was forced to put his career on hold while doctors battled to save her sight.

Sadly, she lost an eye, but doctors managed to save the other and, more than a decade later, she’s just like any other teenage girl – and Caballero couldn’t be more proud.

So when he’s dropped, criticised or under pressure in English ­football, the Argentina keeper puts it all into perspective.

The 35-year-old recalled: “When I started, I was a young guy and a very young father.

(Image: Reuters)

“We had to move from Boca Juniors to Spain to start a new ­career and it wasn’t easy, as Boca in Argentina is like City, United or Chelsea over here. It is not too easy to play in these types of teams when you are young and, as a keeper, it is even more difficult.

“When I moved, I had to start in the second division at Elche and, in Spain, that is really difficult as you might be playing well and ­having great performances, but nobody watched us.

“So, for my family, it was really difficult to adapt in another country and then my daughter was sick and our world turned upside down.

“My daughter had cancer in both eyes and we could save just one. The treatment lasted five years with chemotherapy to try to protect both eyes. But the doctor had to perform ­surgery and she lost one eye.

“After that, the doctor tried to be careful with the other eye and it took a long period for them to say she was safe — four or five years.

“I left Elche and went back to Argentina during that time because I had to be with my family, so my career had to wait. My family is happy now, we are safe and we are enjoying our days in Manchester.

(Image: Getty Images)

“Guillermina is happy, and that is the most important thing. Before, she was like my wife Lucia, who is not interested in ­football, but now Guillermina is enjoying it more. She is 14 and she is asking me everything about ­football and is more interested.

“I think, as she is getting older, she is enjoying it more. She’s been asking me about offside and didn’t understand, so I explained... 11 or 12 times!

“Life is the most important. Always.

“When you are in a team, sometimes you hear players complaining about small things. I am sure nobody has to go through what we did to see a different way to live. It is not necessary and I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. But it was my life, so I am really happy now and my family is the most important thing I have.”

Guillermina’s battle for her sight explains why Caballero was so ­emotional after becoming City’s spot kick shoot-out hero in the 2016 League Cup final against Liverpool.

And, as Jurgen Klopp’s stars arrive at the Etihad for a crunch battle on Sunday, Caballero will ­remember his most memorable day in football when he saved penalties from Lucas Leiva, Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana.

Caballero added: “It was an ­emotional day, because Guillermina was there with our other daughter Itanna.

(Image: AFP/Getty)

(Image: The FA via Getty)

(Image: AFP/Getty) (Image: AFP/Getty)

“In the past, I earned a lot of trophies with Boca and the national team, but this was the first time I had achieved something big for my family and to save three penalties made it very special.

“It was a difficult time for me because, a few days earlier, we lost 5-1 in the FA Cup at Chelsea and it was a really bad day for me.

“There was big pressure on Manuel Pellegrini to change the keeper and play Joe Hart. But when he told me that I would be playing at Wembley ­because I played in all the other games, it made me feel even stronger.

“It was really emotional, on the pitch and in the hours after the game.

“The night before, I was thinking my family deserve this kind of ­opportunity – to be happy. And it finished the best way ­possible.”

* Willy Caballero was speaking at the launch of Manchester City's partnership with Nexen Tire — the first Premier League club sleeve partnership to be announced .