Braithwaite: Barça saw that I have the abilities to play at a higher level

Martin Braithwaite's journey to Barcelona is all the more admirable because of the fact that between the age of five and seven he was confined to a wheelchair.

Braithwaite, 29, suffered from Legg-Calvé-Perthes, a hip problem. It was tough at the time but didn't distract him from his ultimate goal of becoming a professional footballer.

"I don't have a lot of memories because it's such a sad moment," Braithwaite told CNN Sport. "You're looking at all the other kids running around, smiling, playing. It hurt. Obviously, it was a really tough period of my life.

"I remember the feeling of, how can you say... embarrassment...about being different. You didn't want this kind of attention.

"[But I] always wanted to be a soccer player. Since I was really young, I didn't have anything else in mind. I didn't have a plan B. So, when there's no plan B, you don't get distracted."

Braithwaite joined Barcelona at the start of last year, making the move to Camp Nou from Leganes in a deal worth €18 million. What was it that attracted the Catalan club to him?

"They [Barcelona] could see that that I have the abilities to play in a lot higher level," Braithwaite added.

"They could also see my game is what they needed. That's also what they told me, that I got the mindset to play in a big club with the pressure. Looking back at it now, it just shows they were right."

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