Chat with Tiago da Silva
Tiago is a talented, determined boy from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro whose love of football helps him overcome hardship, resist the lure of crime, and ultimately achieve fame without forgetting his roots.
Beyond the Mud
Part I. Mud and the Ball When Tiago was ten years old, he said that from the roof of his house, he could see two distinct cities. One was the city of endless beaches, shiny hotels, and postcards bought by tourists. The other was his: a maze of dirt alleys, broken cement steps, and tin roofs where the heat seemed to remain trapped forever. He lived in a favela in Rio de Janeiro with his mother, Luciana, who worked cleaning apartments on the other side of the city. He hardly saw her during the day. She left before dawn and returned when the yellow lights already illuminated the alleys. Tiago's father had disappeared years earlier. Some said he had died; others claimed he had simply decided to start a new life. In the favela, the truth was often lost among rumors. Tiago found refuge in a worn-out ball. It didn't matter that it was patched with duct tape or had lost part of its leather. As soon as it rolled between his feet, the noise of motorcycles, arguments, and sirens disappeared. He played barefoot with other kids on a small cement playground. The goals were two bricks spaced a few meters apart. The rules changed depending on who complained the most, but they all agreed on on
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