From Selling Cigarettes In Streets To Playing For Manchester United, Eric Bailly¡¯s Story Is Incredible

In 2016, an African boy realised a dream not many even get a glimpse of. From the streets of Bingerville, Ivory Coast to being unveiled as Manchester United player with millions watching, the script coudn't have been written better. It was Eric Bailly's utopian dream coming to fruition.

It was an incredible chapter. When Manchester United appointed Jose Mourinho as their new manager in 2016, his first signing was a little known Ivory Coast centre-back Eric Bailly, who was signed from Spanish club Villarreal.

In five years, Bailly went from selling cigarettes in the streets of Ivory Coast to playing for Manchester United. Now tell me, why shouldn't we all dreams?

Talking to Players Tribune, Bailly said, "I joined Espanyol in 2011, and three years later I made my first-team debut. Then I spent 18 months at Villarreal, and suddenly I was playing for Manchester United."

"In about five years I had gone from selling cigarettes in the streets of Abidjan to playing for the biggest club in the world, he added. 'My reality has been turned on its head. Now people see me as a star, a celebrity. I have something like two million followers on Instagram. I am famous back home.''

While the now 25 year-old was a solid rock for the Spanish club that tempted United into splashing ?30 million on him. His move to record English champions was unexpected, even more so considering he had just established himself in the Villarreal team.

He is now into the fourth season at the club, but is yet to deliver on his evident potential. He hasn't been able to keep fit, which hasn't helped his cause either, and he has been out for months now with injury.

He is expected to be back in January and he would be looking to fight for his dream. If he is to continue playing for Manchester United, he knows he has to put in great shifts on the pitch.