JAKARTA - For most children who grow up in poverty-stricken areas, fame and prestige to become professional footballers is their dream.
Antonio Cassano is no different. Hailing from the working class district of San Nicola in Bari Vecchia, Cassano grew up only with his mother.
Such was their desperate economic situation. Cassano often wagered against the older kids that he could beat them in playing football to buy food which he put on the tiny dining table at his house.
He quickly found his destiny. Promoted at Bari before moving to Italian champions Rome when he was just 19 years old. Five years later he joined Real Madrid but only scored four goals in two seasons and returned to Italy.
He retired at the age of 35 after wearing uniforms for Sampdoria, Milan, Inter and Parma.
His 2010 autobiography, Dico Tutto (I'll Tell You Everything) outlines how football was to him, like for many others, an escape.
"It took me away from a potential bastard future," he explained as quoted by the Daily Star, Friday, March 26.
Cassano's volatile personality is at least partly due to his tough upbringing, having to take care of himself.
He is a player who knows what suffering is like and he will continue to enjoy every moment of his fame and fortune. He quickly gained a reputation for enjoying his playboy lifestyle.
Cassano said he slept with about 600 to 700 women - including about 20 celebrities - by the time he was 25. He added that he often plays well on the pitch after sex.
During his time in Madrid, he was nicknamed 'El Gordito' - the fat one - because of his growing intestines; a result of her bad eating habits, lack of self-discipline and love of parties.
His coach in the Spanish capital, Fabio Capello, coined the term 'Cassanata' - which means 'doing Cassano'. It was meant to be insulting, to show a lack of respect and professionalism.
Cassano endured a life-threatening moment while playing for Milan in Rome in October 2011, when he was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke. She had to undergo heart surgery and death threats loomed over her.
But, it made him focus more on playing football. His fine form earned him a place in the Italian team that reached the 2012 European Cup final. But he was soon back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
He sparked outrage at a press conference by declaring that he hopes there are no homosexuals in the Italy squad, because he would refuse to play alongside that man.
Nonetheless, he helped the Azzurri reach the final that year. But controversy never went away - in April 2013 he was involved in a dressing room brawl with his then coach at Inter, Andrea Stramaccioni, after heated discussions overflowed.
Cassano has managed to hit double figures in goals in one season, only once in his last seven seasons as a professional. He went through a series of bizarre retirement announcements in 2017.
In July, he signed for Hellas Verona and played two friendlies for the club, before suddenly and unexpectedly announcing that he was retiring from the club.
A day later, he withdrew his decision but then confirmed once again that he would not play again.
Cassano is a true-to-life story of wealth that combines a God-given sporting talent with a tough personality that is often prone to self-destruction.
One lingering question from his career is how far can he push himself if he avoids distractions off the pitch?
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