While it's true that, generally, the beginnings of any footballer are hardly easy, the story of Victor Moses represnts sacrifice and work in the highest form. In order to reach the top, the Nigerian winger had to overcome a true nightmare.
He was just 11 years old when, whilst playing football in the street with his friends, the current Chelsea player received some terrible news from his uncle, who had come to find him immediately after finding out that his parents had been killed.
Moses lived the worst months of his life in his uncle's house. He could barely go out into the street, because his father was a religious Catholic minister in the city of Kaduna and, with the declaration of Islamic Law in Nigeria in 2002, the streets were no longer safe for anyone not affiliated with that religion.
His uncle helped him find political asylum in England, where he was welcomed by a family in London from humble origins. There he joined the youth ranks of an amateur side, Cosmos 90 FC, and his quality caught the eye of a Crystal Palace scout, and he signed for the London club in 2007.
After three seasons at Selhurst Park he made the move to Wigan, the club with which he rose to fame. From there, he moved to Chelsea in 2012 and won the Europa League under Rafa Benitez.
But, just like the start of his football career, his first stage at Chelsea was fairly complicated. Moses had three loan spells in three consecutive years (to Liverpool, Stoke and West Ham), but the arrival of Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge was a turning point for him.
Under the Italian coach, he played 34 matches in the last Premier League campaign, as the Blues won the Premier League title, in part, down to him. He was a constant presence in the starting eleven and he was rewarded with his first league title as a professional.
And, although his list of honours may be short (he only has three trophies), it's a pretty impressive trio: the Premier League, Europa League and Africa Cup of Nations. Three titles for a boy who overcame hell to conquer football heaven.