LaLiga Forward gave a very personal interview

Life has not been easy for Atletico Madrid attacker Angel Correa.

Now having established himself in LaLiga and at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano, he put his name in history with his own legends' plaque outside the stadium, and gave a deeply personal interview about his story.

The Argentine played 70 minutes against Real Sociedad on Saturday, coming off shortly after Filipe Luis equalised, and has become a regular in Diego Simeone's side this season with 12 starts already to his name.

That is some way from his roots back home, which he reflected upon in an interview with El Enganche.

"Football has always been a beacon of joy for me," he admitted.

"Since I was 10-years-old, when I lost my dad, it took away everything that made me feel bad.

"Then I lost two brothers and football is the only thing that makes me forget all of that.

"Whenever I go onto the pitch to play I forget all of the losses that I had and I just want to enjoy myself with my friends at Atleti or in Rosario."

It seems like a lifetime ago, but only 12 years ago Correa was the main earner for his family at the age of 10.

"From the first day my agent paid me I gave all of my wages to my mum so that we had enough to eat.

"Giving what I can give now to my mum and brothers is what I always dreamed of.

"It's giving back for the life that we have had.

Beyond all of that, Correa had personal issues of his own.

As he signed for Atletico, doctors picked up something out of the ordinary in his medical and he was forced to have a heart operation.

Not only did that mean a challenging recovery, but it also hurt the youngster to miss out on the semi-final and final of the Copa Libertadores with San Lorenzo.

"The first thing I thought was that I didn't want [the operation] because I wanted to play the Libertadores semi-final with San Lorenzo," he continued.

"It had taken us a lot to get there and I was really excited.

"But after we thought and decided that it was best to operate, because I was still young and the recovery would be quicker.

"It still hurt a lot not to play the semi-final or the final though."

He still bares the mark of that operation, but doesn't look to take advantage of all that he has suffered.

"It's part of me, I'm not spending all my time saying 'look what happened to me', I don't like that," he insisted.

"It was something I went through and luckily I have overcome it.

"There's nothing more to it."

Now a key part of Diego Simeone's team, a coach who he calls "a winner," Correa can finally hope of achieving the dreams that he set out for as a 10-year-old looking after his family.