Chelsea star Deco: I quit football to work for Mercedes

Chelsea star Deco has revealed how he gave up football as a 14 year-old in Brazil.

Deco at the time decided his future would be served by starting off at the local car factory.

He told the official Chelsea magazine: "I stopped playing normal football.

"My dad was working in a Mercedes factory at the time, so I decided at that moment to just play futsal and work. I didn't know whether I could be a footballer and I started to do this course with Mercedes. But after two months I decided, 'No, it's not for me' and tried to become a footballer.

"Many things from my way of playing came from futsal. I don't control the ball like this [points at the instep of his right foot], I step on the ball because in futsal it's normal.

"Also, you always attack and defend, there's no time to rest. Sometimes in normal football the ball is on the other side and you rest. In futsal it's all the time and this was good for me. You need to think and do things quickly, decide before the ball gets to you where you will pass. These are all things which help you in football, especially if you are a playmaker."