Johnny Phillips: From KFC to Goodison Park – how Beto bet on himself

The 25-year-old former part-time footballer has made it into the professional ranks the hard way and his story is an inspiration for any young footballer faced with challenges.

As a youngster there were many doubters during his three separate spells with the small amateur club Uniao Tires on the outskirts of Lisbon.

He was rejected at Benfica’s academy and seemed destined for the ranks of the amateur game, but he never gave in, despite the years ticking by.

On leaving school, when most other players would by now have been picked up by professional clubs, Beto had to go and find work for a living.

He stayed in the family home and took a job with KFC to help support them, combining work at the fast food outlet on day time shifts with training in the evenings.

There were a number of team-mates who told him to think about what he was going to do for a job long-term so he went and put a bet on himself that he would make it as a professional footballer, which caused much amusement among some of his peers.

Part of his commitment to making it as a pro was undoubtedly that desire to help support the family who nurtured him through childhood.

Now, five years on from leaving Uniao Tires, he is preparing for his Goodison Park debut against Arsenal after signing for the Merseysiders for £26million from Italian club Udinese.

I caught up with the player for a feature on tomorrow’s Super Sunday, which will be screened ahead of the game.

Despite barely having time to unpack his bags, Beto willingly joined in with one of Everton’s community visits this week, taking part in a coaching session at a local primary school and fielding questions from the children with what seemed like a permanent smile on his face before facing our cameras.

Beto is a humble figure who stressed that he is not the most naturally-gifted player in the world, but is someone who uses his attributes and work ethic to maximise his career.

For all his charm and warmth off the pitch, Beto is an imposing character on it. Coming in at 6ft 4in tall, it is easy to see why Everton boss Sean Dyche has put faith in the forward to deliver. As well as his considerable presence, there is his pace. His first goal for the club, away at Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup, illustrated that asset as he raced on to a through-ball that the defender looked odds on to reach first, before poking it past the keeper.

There will be pressure for him to shoulder as he tries to deliver on the pitch.

It is more than a probability that the teams who avoid relegation trouble this year will need to find a reliable source of goals.

Everton have struggled to find a replacement for the injury-troubled Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Last month Neal Maupay was shipped out after an underwhelming spell at the club.

Towards the end of last season it was midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure who was preferred up front as Dyche desperately sought a solution.

Another attribute that may also illustrate the surroundings Beto grew up in is his ability to stay on his feet when being tackled.

His former coach at Uniao Tires, Luis Lopes, believes this comes from the countless street football games Beto played in his working class neighbourhood growing up in Portugal. Going down on the hard, dusty ground was never an option.

It will be fascinating to see what type of impact Beto can make on the Premier League.

He is not a polished footballer but, as we have seen in Premier League history with raw and unrefined players such as Paulo Wanchope, Kevin Davies, Duncan Ferguson and Tony Yeboah, to name just a handful, there can be something incredibly effective about a physical presence who plays purely to his strengths.

From spending just a few minutes in Beto’s company, it was also clear how much he appreciated this opportunity in life.

As somebody who has worked for a living in a ‘real job’, he fully understands the value of the career he has forged for himself now.

That is priceless because it brings with it a determination to succeed that does not always exist in those who have come through a more cosseted academy upbringing.

On a more general level, Beto’s arrival is yet another example of the growing influence of Portuguese football in the Premier League.

Marco Silva may be the only head coach in the top flight from that part of the Iberian Peninsula, but there are a whole host of top footballers who come from Portugal and now ply their trade in the Premier League.

If Beto succeeds in adding his name to those who have graced these shores then it will have much do to with the character and determination that has seen him get this far.