Ziyech's troubled childhood: " he drank, smoked and took drugs"

Hakim Ziyech has become one of the world's most talented midfielder. The deal between Ajax and Chelsea for his arrival at Stamford Bridge for 45 million euros catapulted him into the list of the most expensive Chelsea transfers.

With 21 goals and 20 assists, the Moroccan emerged as one of the Eredivisie's top strikers last season, and his amazing form has continued this season with 8 goals and 18 assists.

However, Ziyech was a player who went unnoticed until not so long ago. 

In an interview with the Dutch newspaper 'De Volskrant', the attacking player spoke of his difficult childhood after the death of his father when he was just ten years old.

"That disease (multiple sclerosis) tore him apart. He could do less and less. He couldn't walk, eat, talk... And it ended in the worst possible way. I remember the night he died. I was a ten-year-old boy. I didn't go back to school anymore. I didn't care about football either. I was completely gone. I gave everything up," Ziyech confessed.

Former footballer Aziz Doukifar became his mentor and helped him along the way. In the interview, he also spoke about Ziyech's difficult beginnings. 

"Hakim went completely off the rails. He drank, he smoked and he also took drugs. I helped him as best I could to get him off this bad path. I was his mentor, his father, his coach. I saw that he was afraid to show himself on the pitch. I let him play several tournaments and then I just watched him grow up. It worked out, and with a bit of luck, Hakim totally blossomed," he added.