How an old photograph is inspiring Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus

In the four short years between the last World Cup and this one, Gabriel Jesus’ life has been completely turned upside down.

Back in 2014 the 17-year-old was a young striker in Palmeiras’s youth team and hadn’t even played a game for the first team or any of Brazil’s youth sides.

While the tournament was underway in his home country, Jesus’s only involvement was painting the streets yellow and green of the national flag on the street pavings of his home neighbourhood of Jardim Peri in São Paulo. He, like many of his countrymen, sat and watched his heroes get hammered 7-1 by eventual winners Germany in the semi-final.

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Fast-forward four years and he scored the winner against the World Champions in Brazil’s final friendlies before the World Cup in Russia, wearing the no.9 shirt like his heroes Ronaldo, Careca and Tostao.

He goes into the tournament as one of the highest rated players and battling for that starting spot up top with Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino, but it’s that photo that inspires him to continue on his whirlwind ascent to the top of world football.

“I had a childhood like many Brazilians, not just football players,” he said according to the Manchester Evening News. “It was not a difficult childhood, because thanks to my mother I had something to eat at home and I was able to live my childhood life.

“When I look back and see old photos, that motivates me even more. We have to run after our dreams. But sometimes I confess that it gives me a relapse and I get very emotional.

“When I get home, I lay my head on the pillow and see these pictures, and I get excited.

“To think that four years ago I was running behind and looking at what I am experiencing today … I am very happy for what I am accomplishing – wearing the number nine shirt of the national team.”

Jesus’s header against Germany in midweek was his ninth in 15 appearances for Brazil having scored 16 goals in 32 games for Man City since his £27m move from Palmeiras.

Meanwhile, Jesus has reportedly turned down a new £90,000-a-week deal at the Etihad, holding out for six figures and wanting to wait until after the World Cup to get it sorted.