The soccer world knows Joao Cancelo as a dazzling talent who weaves magic on the pitch. However, behind his professional achievements lies a story of resilience and familial love that was ignited after facing a tragedy. In 2013, at the tender age of 19, the Portuguese star’s world collapsed with the sudden passing of his mother, Filomena, in a car accident. Recently, Cancelo recalled the incident and detailed how it totally changed his soccer journey.

The grief caused by the tragic incident threatened to consume him, but he found a ray of hope in the beautiful game. Now, let’s dive deeper to find out how the unfortunate incident became a life-changing day for the Portuguese full-back.

The one incident that changed the life of Joao Cancelo

Recently, Cancelo sat down with Portuguese-American journalist Pedro Pinto, and the duo predominantly discussed the former’s career. In the middle of the conversation, Pinto asked about one incident that changed the 29-year-old’s life. To this, he answered, “Undoubtedly. After the death of my mother, undoubtedly.“

Later he detailed how he moved on after the unbearable loss, “It was like I said. Before my mother passed away… I’ve always been a rebellious kid. Sometimes I didn’t have a personality very strong, not misunderstood. I really did a lot of crap at the time.” He further mentioned that before his mother’s passing, he received a lot of criticism from his teammates. However, his self-confidence made him believe that he was one of the best players in the world, even though he was not so serious about the sport.

As the conversation progressed, Cancelo opened up about how he had to become the pillar of the family after he lost his mother. It was then that he took soccer seriously, as he was left with no choice but to stay afloat. Later, he confessed that the only thing he knew in the world was playing soccer, and soon he began to consider it the biggest purpose of his life. On that note, soccer fans got to witness Cancelo’s love for his mother after he scored his first goal for Barcelona.

The Portuguese star’s heartwarming gesture for his mom

Back in September, the Portuguese soccer star played his debut match for Barcelona after he arrived at the club on loan from Manchester City. During the match, Cancelo was able to score a magnificent goal for the team. Soon afterward, he took to Instagram and posted a picture of himself, pointing his fingers toward the sky.

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Along with the image, he wrote, “Always for you, Mom.” Even after ten long years since her passing, Cancelo finds it hard to overcome the grief. However, he believes that the incident made him more focused and strong. What are your thoughts on Cancelo’s words? Let us know in the comments below.

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