‘I played without shoes against drug traffickers’ – Antony reveals why he doesn’t feel pressure after £86m Man Utd hell

MANCHESTER UNITED struggler Antony has revealed why he doesn't feel the weight of his failed £86m transfer to Old Trafford – despite being shipped out on loan.

Antony, 25, joined Spanish side Real Betis on loan in January after months of poor form with Man Utd.

The Brazilian winger, who joined United from Ajax in 2022, was never able to live up to his mega price tag while playing for the Red Devils.

And he managed just 12 goals in his 96 appearances for the Premier League giants.

But he has since sparked into life following his six-month loan deal with Betis in La Liga – registering eight goal contributions in 11 games so far.

And the 16-time Brazil international thinks that playing barefoot against drug dealers in his youth helps him to ignore the pressure of performing again.

Discussing his incredible past, Antony told DAZN: “When I’m asked about pressure, I say ‘what pressure?’

“I faced pressure in the favela when I didn’t have shoes to play, I played against drug traffickers and everything. That was real pressure.

“When I left in the morning to go to school I often didn’t eat.

“So when I go through difficult moments I always think about the challenges that I overcame in the past.”;

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Antony grew up in a Brazilian favela nicknamed Inferninho, or ‘Little Hell' in English.

He previously opened up about how his traumatic upbringing left him “numb” to things that others would find harrowing.

Speaking to The Players' Tribune, he said: “On my walk to school one morning, when I was maybe 8 or 9 years old, I came across a man laying in the alley. He was not moving. When I got closer, I realized he was dead.

“In the favela, you become kind of numb to these things. There was no other way to go, and I had to get to school. So I just closed my eyes and jumped over the dead body.

“I am not saying this to sound tough. It was just my reality. In fact, I always say that I was very lucky as a child, because despite all of our struggles, I was given a gift from heaven.

“The ball was my saviour. My love from the cradle. In Inferninho, we don’t care about toys for Christmas. Any ball that rolls is perfect to us.”

Adding: “I refused to bow my head to anyone. I would elastico the drug dealers. Rainbow the bus drivers. Nutmeg the thieves. I really did not give a f***. With a ball at my feet, I had no fear.”

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim put Antony's struggles in the Premier League down to his physicality.

Speaking to TNT Sports, he said: “When you play against any team in England, the physicality is there. If you don't have physicality, you will struggle a lot.

‘Antony is so much better now in Spain. It's [because of] a lot of factors but I guarantee you it's physicality.”

For Antony, the move to Spain has been a revelation.

He claimed: “Every day that passes I see that it was the best decision I could have made.”;