Football fame and glory must have seemed a world away for Brazilian Rivaldo, who was born into extreme poverty in his hometown of Paulista. His natural talent led to his being signed with his local club, but the officials there thought his poor health (due to malnutrition) would hold him back from the type of career his talent promised. After years of being shuffled from club to club, Rivaldo settled in at FC Barcelona in 1997, where he spent five years building a solid name and reputation ensuring he would never again want for the essentials in life.