Manchester United winger Nani has revealed how he suffered a permanent broken toe.
As a barefoot youngster growing up on the mean streets of Lisbon, United's Portuguese winger used to skip meals and go hungry just so he could spend more time playing the beautiful game.
"I didn't go home to eat because I wanted to play football," he told the News of the World.
"Every day, morning and afternoon I was there in the 'bairro'. I didn't eat. I was so skinny.
"The most important thing for me was football.
"Sometimes I was hungry but some friends would come with food and I'd take a little.
"I played on grass, on the street, everywhere. I played without trainers - that's why I have one toe broken.
"And when we picked the teams I put the best players against me and the weaker ones with me so I could play alone.
"I told them: 'You defend, I attack,' and I passed the ball to no-one."
