Two months ago, Tiago Manuel Dias Ferreira ‘Bébé’ was virtually unheard of in his native Portugal, never mind on Mancunian terraces. But now – as he completes a move to one of Europe’s elite – his name has been forever etched in folklore. “Football,” says Bébé “can change lives, very much.”
Bébé was born in Cacém, in the municipality of Sintra, to Cape Verdean parents – like compatriot and new teammate Nani – but spent most of his youth in Casa do Gaiato de Santo Antão do Tojal, a children’s home in nearby Loures. It was here – playing for the Loures junior side – that Bébé was first recognised as a talent. CAIS, the body responsible for organising Portugal’s Homeless World Cup team, invited Bébé and three other boys to play for them. According the stipulations of the competition, players must fall under the national definition of homeless. Bébé was just that. But contrary to reports – he was never selected to represent Portugal at the Homeless World Cup.
But raw talent eventually proved enough to lift Bébé out of poverty, when he finally got his break in 2009, as third tier side Estrela da Amadora snapped him up. After just one season with Estrela da Amadora – with a return of four goals – Guimarães signed Bébé on a free transfer. Remarkably, his blistering form in pre-season cut his Guimarães career to just five weeks, as United tabled a bid of £7 million on the advice of former assistant, Carlos Queiroz.
Bébé regardless of whether he fulfils his potential will always have a place in the history books. But with the chance to play against the World’s elite in the Premiership, and the Champions League, one competition Bébé will definitely be missing again is the eighth Homeless World Cup in Rio this September. But Gonçalo Sequeira dos Santos, Bébé’s coach at CAIS, doesn’t sound too disappointed about the 20-year-old missing out. “We are truly happy for this opportunity he has to make his dream come true and improve his life,” he said.
And as Bébé puts it: “I had the dream of playing one day for a major club. That dream has come true.”
For more information about the Homeless World Cup log onto www.homelessworldcup.org
Posted on September 7, 2010