Antony, Manchester United’s £86 million signing has faced many obstacles before he reached where he is today. He recently revealed his rough start before the money and fame.
Erik ten Hag, who had previously worked with Antony at Ajax, had the Brazilian as one of his top targets, and eventually, United were able to hammer out a deal to make the 22-year-old the most expensive player to leave the Eredivisie.
For Antony, who made his debut in the 3-1 victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford on September 4, it was a dream come true.
However, Antony has traveled a long way to get here. He was raised in the Osasco, Sao Paulo favela known as “Little Hell,” and as a child, he had nothing.
He was so poor that he didn’t even have a bedroom and couldn’t even buy football boots. While drug dealers stood at the door, he and his siblings had to remove the water that had flooded their home.
Police once conducted a raid on his home, which would have been a terrifying event for him to go through as a child.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Antony discussed his challenging background, which truly helps put things in perspective.
“I was just a humble little boy from a favela,” he said.
“I didn’t have boots to play football. I didn’t have a bedroom, I slept on the sofa.
“I lived in the very middle of the favela. Twenty yards from my house there were drug dealers. Sometimes you would be watching a game on a Sunday and there would be that smell, a smell of cannabis coming into the house.
“There were moments, my brother, my sister and I would cry and hug each other thinking about our lives.
“There were times in the middle of the night, we were bailing water out of our flooded house, but we’d still do it with a smile on our faces.”
After joining the Sao Paulo youth program, Antony eventually agreed to a £13 million transfer to Ajax, where he won two Eredivisie league championships.
His transfer fee for the United move has generated a lot of discussion, and his performances have received a lot of attention.
However, given his past experiences, Antony feels unfazed by the strain.
He is reported to have said: “Real pressure was when I lived in a favela and left for school at nine in the morning not sure whether I would be able to eat again until nine in the night. That’s some pressure. Otherwise, we can all adapt.”
Antony
Brazilian professional footballer Antony Matheus dos Santos, better known by his stage name Antony, was born on February 24, 2000. He now plays as a winger for Manchester United of the Premier League and the Brazil national team.
Antony, a product of So Paulo’s development program, made 52 appearances for the first squad and netted six goals. In 2020, he joined Ajax, where he played 82 games, scored 25 goals, and won two Eredivisie championships and a KNVB Cup.
After making an impression with Ajax, Antony caught the attention of Manchester United, who acquired him in September 2022 for the highest sum ever paid for an Eredivisie player—€95 million (£82 million).
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Antony won a gold medal with the Brazil under-23 squad. He scored against Venezuela in his senior international debut in October 2021.
Childhood Story
His full name is Antony Matheus dos Santos, and to start with his biography, he goes by the moniker, Tony.
The professional footballer from Brazil was born on February 24, 2000, to parents Cremilda Prudencio and Mr. dos Santos in the Brazilian municipality of Osasco.
Out of the three children (himself, a brother, and a sister) conceived during his parents’ marriage, Antony Matheus dos Santos was the last to be born.
The young Brazilian football hero was raised primarily by his parents and older siblings. The name of Antony’s older brother is Emerson Santos, and at the time that his biography is being written, the identity of his older sister is still unknown.
Family Background
First things first: His family did not live in an extravagant manner; rather, they did it in a manner comfortable for typical Brazilian citizens. From a lowly middle-class family, Antony dos Santos hails.
The footballer’s family is run by a fantastic father (Mr dos Santos). This man is aware of how crucial it is to foster love and intimacy among his family members.
The municipality of Osasco, where Antony is from, is part of Greater So Paulo and has the fifth-highest population among So Paulo municipalities.
Is Antony married?
Antony is seeing Rosilene Silva, a stunning woman with a good motive to work toward her objectives in life.
Rosilene Silva takes satisfaction in being the all-encompassing individual that gave Antony the comfort he required to feel at home in Europe.
Finding someone who fits your personality and with whom you instantly click is the best feeling imaginable. This is the situation between Rosilene Silva and Antony Matheus dos Santos.
In the Netherlands, the football player did not find his love. Instead, Antony and Rosilene have been dating ever since he was just starting out in Brazil.
There isn’t a shred of proof Antony and Rosilene are officially married.
Antony’s move to Manchester United
Ajax announced on August 30, 2022, that they and Manchester United had reached a transfer agreement for Antony.
Two days later, Antony agreed to a five-year deal with Ajax for a transfer fee of €95 million (£82 million), plus an additional €5 million (£4.27 million) in add-ons. This was the biggest transfer in Eredivisie history and the third-highest fee ever paid by the club, behind only Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku.
Antony on discussing with Ronaldo
He was given the number 21 shirt that had been worn by Edinson Cavani, who had just left the club, upon his arrival. He made his club debut on September 4 and scored in a 3-1 league victory over Arsenal at home.
Antony has professed his admiration for his new Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and promised to pick up as much knowledge as he can from the legendary Portuguese player.
The Brazilian newcomer, who made his Premier League debut against Arsenal last weekend and scored the opening goal in the 3-1 triumph, was replaced by Ronaldo and says it is a pleasure to be working with the player he considers to be the finest in the world.
In an exclusive interview, he said, “I’ve come to help my teammates. Regardless of age, there’s immense talent in all the players.
“Words can’t describe Cristiano, the best in the world. In just a few days, I’ve learnt a lot from him. He has an extraordinary mind and, whenever I talk to him, I take a lot from it.
“I’m sure that we have a strong attack and it’s very promising for the future.”
After a promising start with the Reds, the South American forward promised to keep the crowd entertained.
