The man who first revealed details of the sexual abuse of young players in English football has travelled to Brazil to try to help youngsters there.

Andy Woodward's harrowing story of abuse as a boy by his coach Barry Bennell prompted hundreds more men to come forward with tales of sexual exploitation as young players.

The scandal was the darkest chapter in Britain's footballing history and it has triggered an international movement exposing widespread child abuse in football.

A similar scandal is now escalating in Argentina. Allegations that young players were abused and forced into prostitution are emerging at two of the country's most famous football clubs.

Image: Youngsters play football in front of a mural of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi (L) and Brazil's Neymar

While in Brazil, the President of Sao Paulo players' union asked Mr Woodward to visit to help encourage victims to come forward.


Speaking to me in Sao Paulo, he recalls how the coach who gave him a golden opportunity in football ruined his life.

"That night when I was 10 and he did what he did to me.... from that night onwards my life changed," said Mr Woodward.

"That trauma took away my childhood. At 44, I'm going to start my life."

Image: Sky's Sally Lockwood with Andy Woodward

Part of that new start is working to protect other children. But here in Brazil the challenge is enormous.

Football is far more than a sport here, it is a national obsession.

In a country where many children have next to nothing, they worship their heroes on the field, they kick a ball as soon as they can walk and life in football represents an escape from poverty.

For families living in the country's many slums or favelas, getting their child a break in football is a more realistic dream than getting them educated.

'Abuse happening in every Brazil club'

Former goalkeeper Alexandre Montrimas ended his 20-year career when he spoke out about abuse in Brazilian football clubs.

"No one wanted to know," he told me. "I stopped speaking about it because I had no support."

But when Andy Woodward broke his silence in November 2016, the press coverage reached Brazil and people finally began to talk about the issue.

Alexandre Montrimas explains that abuse is hidden in the country's extreme poverty. He played for a small team in Sao Paulo when he was 17 and like many young players, he was taken to live at the club because it was so far from his home.

It is in these "hostels", where young players live at hundreds of Brazilian clubs, that abuse can hide undetected.

Children far from home, dependant on the clubs for absolutely everything, are vulnerable to grooming, exploitation and blackmail.

"Abuse or exploitation is happening in every club in Brazil," said Mr Montrimas. "Abuse is happening to teenagers as well as children. Because power is power in football. At any age."

The power of football in Brazil is fierce. To speak out about abuse takes huge courage in any country, but in Brazil the sacrifice is huge.

For a child to get a break in football is every family's dream. It can pull them out of extreme poverty. For a child or teenager to speak out about abuse not only shatters that dream, but it means they lose everything.

Abuse isn't exclusive to one club, one country, one sport. But the wave of abuse that's emerging worldwide was triggered by one English player.

Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association said in a statement: "Andy Woodward was responsible for revealing the extent of child sex abuse in football when he had the courage to come out publicly in 2016.

"As a result a momentum gathered causing so many other cases to be revealed... all such sufferers have been offered help and support by the players union. the PFA.

"Without Andy Woodward it is doubtful that such focus would have come about and this issue would have remained buried."

The FA has told Sky News it is open to sharing best practice and having a dialogue with any associations experiencing similar issues.

FIFA has not yet responded to our request for comment.