Alam Khan

MANCHESTER: As a child growing up without a father in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Matheus Nunes had a couple of familiar figures to inspire him to a footballing dream and better life.

One was his mother, Catia, who combined raising and supporting her family with the odd appearance for a local team as a goalkeeper.

The other was Brazil and Barcelona icon Ronaldinho.

Both provided the “magic” that has now seen the Rio-born Nunes starring for Manchester City and Portugal, the country where he moved to as a youngster.

“My mum was my hero,” the 26-year-old told Arab News exclusively. “I learned from her — and she used to play football as well.

“She was a goalkeeper, trying to save my shots. It was just in Brazil, not professionally, but she played in friendlies, local games with friends — she was always playing,” he said.

“She was, what you call, a tomboy. She had about 12 cousins and, compared to her age, she was the only girl in their age group so she was always doing men’s stuff.

Nunes continued: “Football-wise, my first hero was Ronaldinho. I enjoyed everything about him.

“I watched all of his videos on YouTube when I was young. I don’t know how to describe it but, for me, if he’s not the best footballer of all time, he’s probably one of them.

“It was magical watching him. He was the guy who made me fall in love with football.”

So too, inevitably, did Cristiano Ronaldo, once Catia moved the family to Portugal and Nunes learned English and all about the Premier League from his Sunderland-supporting stepfather, John Greenman.

Long before the forward joined Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo starred at Lisbon side Sporting — a club Nunes would also later join — before successful spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.

When he was called up by Portugal for his international debut against Qatar in 2021, Nunes admitted being a bit star-struck when meeting Ronaldo, now 39 and still scoring goals for club and country.

“He’s incredible, a machine to be still playing now,” said Nunes. “I don’t know if I will ever be able to do that, but he’s just incredible.

“I’m not going to lie, I was a bit nervous when I first met Cristiano. But it wasn’t just him, but a lot of the big players I met when I first went to the national team. I had only played with them in video games before, so it was a great moment.

“My first gift when I was two was a football, so everything led to this. I didn’t try to be a professional in Brazil because I came to Portugal when I was very young,” Nunes said.

“But, after I arrived in Portugal, it was only then that I switched my mindset and said I am going to try to be a footballer here.

“That’s kind of why I chose Portugal as the country I wanted to play for, because Portugal opened doors for me to in terms of professional football.”

However, Nunes’ path to being a professional was far from easy and he combined playing for Portuguese fifth-tier side Ericeirense while working in a bakery.

His break came at Estoril in 2018, before Sporting signed him one season — and just six appearances — later.

Such was Nunes’ rise that, three years on, English side Wolverhampton Wanderers paid a club-record £38 million ($48 million) for him — and Manchester City followed with £47 million at the start of last season.

Nunes, though, has struggled for a starting spot and the chance to show his best form at the Etihad, despite lifting the Premier League and Club World Cup in his debut season.

While he has been given more opportunities — and impressed when played in a more favored attacking role — Nunes has had to help City fill holes due to their injury issues.

Deputising at full-back, he conceded a late penalty with a foul on Amad Diallo that allowed Manchester United to snatch a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory in the derby earlier this month.

That was one of nine defeats for City in their last 12 games — a disappointing run that has seen them drop down to seventh in the Premier League — leaving them 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, and in danger of missing out on the next stage of the Champions League.

With a home game against Everton on Boxing Day and trip to Leicester City on Sunday, boss Pep Guardiola will hope for a much-needed change of fortune to keep his side in contention for a top-four place.

Nunes himself is determined to make his mark in the best league in the world.

“In England you have the best players in the world, the best teams and the games are so intense,” he said.

“In Portugal there is a lot of quality as well, but here you can see every week it’s above the other leagues, and why you want to play here.

“It’s been tough because I haven’t got the minutes I wanted. But I want to play every week and you have to be ready if the manager calls you or not. I want to play, I want to win.”