Six of 11 key players of the Brazilian national team grew up without fathers and managed to overcome very difficult circumstances

Every time Gabriel Jesus scores the goal, he shows the sign of the phone in the hand. This celebration, known as Hi, mum, is the homage to Vera Lucia, the woman who without any help grew up her son and his three brothers. “She was always father and mother at the same time” - says number 9 who constitutes the group of 6 out of 11 players of the Brazilian national team together with Miranda, Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Casemiro and Paulinho who grew up without the support of their biological fathers. It’s a common practice in Brazil. According to the studies, women grow up 40% of the Brazilian families, it’s about 12 millions. They don’t have husbands who would help them to educate their children. The surveys state that such situation deteriorates the risks of the social vulnerability because the average income of the women - particularly, black women - continue to be much lower compared to the revenues of white women and men.

Vera’s husband left her and went to live with other woman before Gabriel Jesus was born. She tried to do her best in order to satisfy all her little son’s needs.

“When I was going to the matches and saw my friends, I felt envy because my father wasn’t there. However, thanks to my mother, I forgot about it immediately”, said the forward to The Players’ Tribune.

The family story of the Brazilian forward is very similar to the story of Paulinho. The Barcelona midfielder has the name of his father, Jose Paulo Bezerra Maciel but he almost didn’t meet him. Last time he saw him was when Paulinho played for Corinthians during the match against Nautico in the stadium Aflitos in Recife in 2012. Jose Paulo observed the match, and the midfielder presented him his T-shirt at the end of the game. His father, descendant of Indians Xucuru in the region of Pernambuco, divorced his mother Erica Lima when Paulinho was born. The father almost didn’t maintain contacts with his two sons. He only imade short calls since Paulinho was 13 years old.

In Corinthians, Paulinho who almost left the football after he suffered from racism and lack of payments in his first European club Vilnius - shared the absence of father with Cassio. The third national team goalkeeper has never seen his father. According to the family members, his father disappeared when he knew his mother Maria de Lourdes was pregnant. Some TV shows tried to find him in order to hold the meeting but the goalkeeper has always denied that offer. “I had a very difficult childhood. When I needed my father he wasn’t with me” - he replied. Paulinho grew up without his father but was supported by the stepfather. Cassio was also supported by his uncle Joao Carlos Kojak. He helped him in the car wash service in Veranopolis. “It is more important to have the basis of values than the paternal basis” - says the sports psychologist Suzy Fleury who worked in the Brazilian national team. “Many times, mother or any other person such as stepfather, uncle or even coach manages to assume roles that would correspond to the biological father. That’s why there are successful stories when the paternal absence doesn’t prevent the player from being successful footballer”.

Alcoholism, abandonment...

This is the story of Marcelo. When he was just 4 years old, his parents divorced and he went to live with his grandparents. His grandfather Pedro assumed the role of the father. He did his best to satisfy all child’s needs, took the child to the training in Fluminense and watched all his matches. “He spent almost all his spare time with the 13, 14 years old teenager. He didn’t even think I would be a professional footballer”, - says Marcelo on his YouTube channel. Pedro died in 2014, during the World Cup in Brazil. “My grandfather was as father and mother for me. He made a lot for my success” - he explained.

The midfielders of the national team also grew up without fathers. Miranda’s father died when the child was 11 years old. His mother Maria had to maintain him and his 11 brothers. At the age of 5 years, Thiago Silva observed his father leaving the family. Since that moment, he hasn’t seen his father. When his mother Angela was pregnant, she thought to abort the baby as she already had two sons and didn’t have funds to grow them up. Her family convinced her to change the decision, however the marriage broke when the financial problems at home deteriorated. She married Valdomiro who grew up Thiago Silva as his native son. The Brazilian midfielder didn’t hide his emotions when Valdomiro died in October, 2014: “All I’ve reached in my life I owe you. The man who was my father, friends, fellow and my superheroe. Always when I needed you I felt your help and support”.

Casemiro lost his father even earlier when he was just three years old. He grew up with his mother Magda and two brothers. The family faced financial problems while living in São José dos Campos, however the child got the support from Nilton Moreira, coach of the local football school. At the same time, the substitute of the Brazilian team, Taison had to work in order to buy foods for him and 10 brothers in Navegantes, city Pelotas. His father suffered from alcoholism, divorced his mother Rosangela who depended on the donations from the church that helped to avoid hunger at home. Before the midfielder was signed by Inter, he worked as a painter. Taison had no doubts. “I am a strong-willed person. And I haven’t come to the national team by chance. All I have today I owe her”, said Taison referring to Rosangela, another Brazilian supermum.

Source: El Pais