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The Brazilian goalkeeper is a man mountain of muscle and tattoos, with a close-cropped haircut to complete his menacing appearance.

Little wonder Premier League strikers have found Ederson a tough nut to crack since he arrived at the Etihad in a £35m deal from Benfica in the summer.

But beneath the intimidating exterior is a kind-hearted man who loves nothing more than reading the Bible, walking his four dogs, spending time with his daughter Yasmin and donating some of his wages to the people who helped him get where he is today.

In a rare and exclusive interview with Starsport, Ederson has revealed how he is devoted to the Evangelical Church, cried for days when Sao Paulo rejected him as a teenager and has an obsession with covering his body in ink.

Ederson, 24, has 34 tattoos in total (he got his first one aged just 15 and has a rose and skull under his right ear) and insists each one has a special meaning.

He said: “Most of them have a story behind them. Mostly they are images of my loved ones, my parents, my brothers and sisters, my wife Lais.

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“Some of them are about God. I’m evangelical. I don’t have a favourite tattoo, for me all of them are my favourite.

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“I love all of them and I don’t regret having done any of them. I still have some space to have some more in the future. It’s my hobby, my passion.

“I’m a very calm person away from the pitch. I love playing with my dogs. Mostly I just enjoy relaxing with my family.”

Ederson grew up in poverty in the Sao Paulo suburb of Osasco but had big dreams of becoming a professional.

Those dreams were almost ended when Sao Paulo released him as a teenager, before Benfica offered him a chance in 2008 that he took with both hands.

He said: “I come from a poor family. But my father always worked hard to provide for us the best he could.

“Together with my mum, they brought up their three kids very well. Nowadays, the three kids are all parents and have their own families.

“They always showed us the right path to follow. Even now, when I chat with my father, he gives me tips and I consider him my right arm.

“I stayed in Sao Paulo for four years and then they moved me on.

“The only thing that disappointed me was the way they told me. I was 15 and they did it by phone and didn’t speak to me, but my mum.

“I felt a bit disappointed about the way they did it, because when I got back home from the street my mum was there to tell me the bad news.

“I felt sad, I cried a lot, but I never lost hope.

“I stayed quite isolated for one month, training in my school. Later on I moved to Benfica and since then only good things have happened in my life.”

Despite all his wealth and success, the man known as ‘The Bull’ has never forgotten his roots.

He recently donated £10,000 to the school in Osasco to help them clear some debt and is determined to remain humble.

Ederson, who is learning English with a private tutor at his Cheshire home, said: “Osasco is the school where I started playing football.

“I was able to help the people that helped me when I started. They are really nice people, with some difficulties. So, I think it’s fair to help the ones that helped me in the past.”

Ederson suffered gruesome cuts after being kicked in the face by Liverpool’s Sadio Mane in September but the rock-hard keeper was back playing just four days later.

He added: “The reason I’m called ‘The Bull’? Every time I go for a ball I go without any fear, always thinking positive, without fear of being hurt.

“Thank God, I have never had any serious injury.

“I’m going to keep playing the same way. I’m going to keep going for any ball without fear of being hurt.

“I’m settling in well, in spite of the weather. It’s very cold and rainy! But that’s not a problem for me.

“I feel very happy here and my family does as well. I hope I can stay here for a long time.

“My closest friends used to say that one day I would play in the Premier League and now, thank God, I’m playing here in the best league in the world.

“It is my ultimate aim to win the Champions League and be in the World Cup with Brazil next summer, but I also want to win the Premier League, the cups, they are all part of my personal goals.

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“Manchester City has a strong team and we are working very well together.

“If we keep playing the same way, playing good football, I think we can achieve many great things.”