The forward used to do flips for cash.
Alexis Sanchez joined Arsenal from FC Barcelona this summer in a £35m deal and was awarded a long-term contract with wages of £150,000-a-week.
READ MORE:
World XI so far this season
Arsenal XI without injured Mesut Ozil.
Alexis Sanchez transfer was not Arsene Wenger’s first choice.
It’s a long way from the 25-year-old’s humble roots however, as growing up in Chile the forward has revealed the often odd things he had to do to make money for his family.
“As I could do somersaults, people would say to me ‘do a somersault and we’ll give you 50 or 100 Pesos (around £2.30),” Sanchez was quoted by the Metro.
“I also used to clean cars. I got my first pair of football boots from the local Mayor, who bought them for me after my mum went to see him.
“I was totally made up – like a dog with two tails.”
Sanchez started his professional career in football with Chilean side Cobreloa, progressing through the youth ranks and breaking into the first team in 2005.
After two years with the club the South American was snapped up by Serie A outfit Udinese in January 2007, but spent the remainder of that season on-loan with Colo Colo back in his home nation.
Sanchez was then shipped out temporarily once again in 2007/08, spending 12 months with Argentinian giants River Plate.
It was then three years in the first team back in Italy until Barca came in for the attacker back in 2011 and then three years after that the Gunners beckoned – meaning he has already played in five different countries.