Man United’s Antony reveals personal hardships in emotional interview

Antony has opened up about the personal hardships he has faced during his first season at Manchester United.

Antony arrived at Manchester United from Ajax for a staggering fee of £85 million in the summer of 2022, following both Erik ten Hag and Lisandro Martinez to the club.

Signing for the club for such a fee at just 22 years of age put a lot of pressure on his shoulders. However, life started well for him in Manchester Red.

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He scored on his debut against Arsenal and in the two subsequent Premier League fixtures after that – however, his goal contributions have been somewhat inconsistent this season since.

Speaking in a recent interview, Antony was asked about the pressure he has been feeling since his arrival last summer and he was quick to point out that his inconsistent performances may be related to issues he is having beyond football.

“There were a lot of moments here. It’s just that I’m a guy who always tries to show my joy, whether I’m sad or not, going through difficulties or not,” Antony told ESPN Brasil via Sport Witness.

“I always try not to show it to others. I always keep it to myself. So there were many days, many difficult days.

“But as I said, it’s day to day, we’re connected with God, we’re connecting with the people we love, which brings us back to joy, getting back to being well with ourselves, which is what more important.”

Antony continued, revealing that he has been suffering from issues in relation to his family in an emotional section of the interview, with the whole talk set to be aired at a later date.

“No, it’s like I said, there are many things in relation to the family, in relation to personal things, that people don’t see and don’t understand.

“Because seeing Antony on the field is normal to see. But when you go through some difficult moments people don’t see and don’t understand. That’s why I say this.

“But as I said, when we connect with God, with friends, with people we love, these things change, our minds get better, and everything goes as we want.”

Erik ten Hag has been very supportive of Antony on the field and explained how Antony makes the team play better.

“When he’s playing (full games), the team is winning,” Ten Hag said on Antony earlier this year. “That already gives a message of how well he is performing.

“He can do better, I see space for improvement. For instance, and I think also you know this, we want him to be more direct and be more involved. But as I said, the team is performing better if he is on the pitch. That’s a good thing, that’s a good base to build further.”