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Braithwaite's childhood drama: I felt embarrassment at being in a wheelchair

  /  autty

Martin Braithwaite is set to play in a Copa del Rey final this Saturday evening and he scored the goal that took Barcelona to this match, but the Danish striker hasn't always been able to play football.

When he was younger, between five and seven years of age, he suffered from the Legg-Calve-Perthes hip disorder and spent time in a wheelchair.

"I don't have a lot of memories because it's such a sad moment," Braithwaite said in an interview with CNN, trying to recall that time of his life.

"You're looking at all the other kids running around, smiling, playing. It hurt.

"Obviously, it was a really tough period of my life."

"I remember the feeling of, how can you say, embarrassment about being different. You didn't want this kind of attention."

Braithwaite always set his mind on becoming a footballer as he was growing up.

"Since I was really young, I didn't have anything else in mind," he said.

"I didn't have a plan B. So, when there's no plan B, you don't get distracted."