Darwin Nunez’s transfer from Benfica to Liverpool has been announced. The Uruguayan international’s family had financial difficulties in the past, but he became the most expensive signing in Liverpool history.

In multiple interviews, the former Almeria striker reflected on his childhood and the sacrifices his mother made so that he and his brother could eat.

Anselmo Nunez once commented, “Yes, I went to bed lonely on an empty stomach,” in an interview.

My mom, nevertheless, was the one who often went to bed hungry. My brother and I were the first to eat because of her. In the past, my mom would skip dinner with us and instead go to bed. My roots will always be with me.

A difficult start for Darwin Nunez

In 2013, a scout from Penarol brought Darwin from Artigas to Montevideo for a tryout, and one of the best clubs in Uruguay approached him.

Upon returning to Pirata, a village on the banks of the Cuareim River, Nunez returned to live with his parents. He was fourteen years old at the time.

A year later, he would have another opportunity when he tried out with Penarol. Another disappointment befell him once he joined the Uruguayan club.

His brother, who was playing in the third level, told him, “You stay, you have a future, I’m leaving,” following a family issue.

Nunez missed nearly a year and a half of action after tearing his anterior cruciate ligaments when he was just 16 years old. He and his family spent some time in Artigas, and when he got back to Penarol, coach Leo Ramos invited him to play for the first squad.

The rookie replaced Maxi Rodriguez, but he was in so much pain after his ligament repair that he sobbed his way through the entire game.

Even though he had kneecap surgery again, he recovered well enough to be named to the South American U-20 Championship roster for 2019.

There, Nunez’s performance fell short of expectations; he was criticized for his lack of finishing touch and struggled to find his footing.

Because of this, he decided to see a psychologist to help him cope. But his skill allowed him to escape and settle in Europe, where he played for Benfica and Almeria. At this point in time, he has surpassed all other Liverpool signings in terms of price.

Bottle sales were his mother’s business.

Nunez recalled the hardships his parents endured so that they could provide for their family and purchase football footwear for him in an interview with Referi.

Nunez once stated, “I don’t forget where I come from, a humble, hard-working family.” Well, that was a while ago.

My dad would put in eight or nine hours at the building site just so we could eat and have what we needed.

“My mother was always a housewife and would go out on the streets to collect bottles to sell.”

The disc that major European clubs took notice of

Nunez, who is just 22 years old, has already cemented his position as one of Europe’s top strikers. In 41 games played for Benfica last season, he managed to score 34 goals and add four assists.

With Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez seeing little action, Nunez surpassed them to become Uruguay’s leading scorer for the season.

Not only that, but at 22 years and 264 days of age, he became the youngest player from Uruguay to score in a Champions League match.