5 things you probably didn't know about Carlos Bacca
Carlos Bacca has recently been linked to Premier League clubs, with Arsenal and West Ham keen to acquire the Colombian’s signature. A natural finisher, the South American’s main strength lies in being in the right place at the right time to finish off chances. He is also good without the ball, possessing immense tenacity and showing his smartness by drawing defenders from their positions with intelligent runs.
Bacca, 29, signed for Milan in 2015 where he has been one of the bright lights in a Milan side that has fallen on hard times, scoring 20 goals in 42 appearances for the club. However, Bacca’s journey in football hasn’t been as easy as it seems.
Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the Colombian:
#1 He worked as a bus driver’s assistant when he was 20
Carlos Bacca’s rag to riches story, like Cinderella, is an inspiration to all. At 20, he was working as a bus driver’s assistant, struggling to make his ends meet. Coming from a poor family in Colombia, he knew that the way to the top would never be a pleasure cruise. He was playing for Atletico Junior and doing odd jobs, which included selling fish at a point, to survive.
Bacca, in an interview, had said: "At 20 I was living in my village, Puerto Colombia, working as a bus driver's assistant. Life was far from easy. Next, I had to work as a ticket collector on the buses because I come from a poor family and had to earn money to help them out.
“The doors of football had been closed to me for some time and at my age, it wasn’t something I could count on anymore.”
However, he trialled for Junior de Barranquilla that year and they took him, ending his days of harsh struggle.