Manchester United`s Antony has spoken about why the pressure of his £86 million transfer fee doesn`t weigh on him, even after being loaned out.
Antony, 25, joined Real Betis on loan in January after a period of inconsistent performance with Manchester United.
The Brazilian winger, who moved to United from Ajax in 2022, struggled to meet expectations set by his high transfer fee while with the Red Devils.
He scored only 12 goals in 96 appearances for the Premier League club.
However, since joining Betis on a six-month loan in La Liga, he has shown renewed energy, contributing to eight goals in 11 matches.
Antony, who has played 16 times for Brazil, believes that his experiences playing football barefoot against drug traffickers in his youth help him cope with the pressures of performing today.
Speaking about his past, Antony told DAZN: "When people ask me about pressure, I wonder, ‘what pressure?’"
"I faced real pressure in the favela, playing without shoes, against drug traffickers. That was true pressure."
"Often, I would leave for school in the morning without having eaten."
"So, when I encounter difficult times now, I always remember the challenges I`ve already overcome."
Antony grew up in Inferninho, a favela in Brazil, known as 'Little Hell'.
He has previously shared that his difficult upbringing made him feel "numb" to situations that might shock others.
In a conversation with The Players' Tribune, he recounted: "One morning on my way to school, when I was around 8 or 9, I found a man lying in the street. He wasn`t moving. As I got closer, I realized he was dead."
"In the favela, you become somewhat desensitized to these things. There was no other route to school, so I just closed my eyes and jumped over the body."
"I`m not sharing this to appear tough. It was simply my reality. In fact, I often think I was very fortunate as a child because, despite all the hardships, I received a gift from heaven."
"The ball was my savior, my first love. In Inferninho, we didn`t wish for toys for Christmas. Any ball that could roll was perfect for us."
He added, "I refused to be intimidated by anyone. I would dribble past drug dealers, trick bus drivers, and nutmeg thieves. I truly didn`t care. With a ball at my feet, I felt fearless."
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim suggested that Antony`s struggles in the Premier League were due to the physicality of the league.
Speaking to TNT Sports, he commented: "Playing against any team in England requires physicality. Without it, you will struggle significantly."
"Antony is performing much better in Spain now. It`s due to several factors, but physicality is definitely a major one."
For Antony, the move to Spain has been transformative.
He stated: "Every day, I realize it was the best decision I could have made.”
