Udinese striker Beto has scored eight goals in his first season in Serie A, but life was very different for him three years ago when he played in Portugal and worked at KFC to make a living.
The 24-year-old moved to the Dacia Arena from Portimonense on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy for €10m last summer. He has scored ten goals in 27 appearances across all competitions in his first season in Italy.
His life has changed drastically since the summer. Only a few years ago, Beto was not a professional footballer in Portugal and had another job to make a living. Where was he three years ago?
“I was training with Tires and working in Portugal, it was a nice life,” he told DAZN.
Tires are a non-professional team in Portugal, so playing football was not enough for Beto to get a decent salary.
“I was working at KFC. It was good.”
So what does he think when he walks by a fast food now that he is a professional footballer?
“Nothing special, but when I return home, I always go to that KFC to visit my friends.
“I’ve always believed I could have become a footballer. I wanted to become a professional football player.
“My teammates didn’t believe it, maybe just two of them. they were telling me: ‘Beto, it’s hard, it’s impossible.’ Then I joined Portimonense and they changed their mind. Now I really like Italy.”
Really happy for him. Every dream with hard work would eventually bear fruit.
You deserve it my mate. Congratulations!