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Describing the shacks in the shanty town of Quilmes, a few miles south of capital Buenos Aires, Sergio said: "They call them villas. They're houses made from boards, all close together and with passages. In the middle was a square with a football pitch or two. Only the local kids played there. "Life was f***ed. A lot of robbing. It was a difficult district. I had a very bad time. All the friends I had, I don't think any of them are at home. They're all in prison. "I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't got out. The ball rescued me." Sergio was forced to spend much of his youth surrounded by the drugs and gang-related shootings in the shanty town. Around half of the residents were known to have used killer cocaine by-product "paco", made up of cocaine scraps mixed with anything from rat poison to ground glass. It sells for as little as 10p a hit. But thanks to his skills, Sergio was able to escape his bleak surroundings by forging a career as a professional footballer. He was signed by Independiente when he was just nine and quickly rose through the youth ranks. Sergio says: "By the time I was 12 I was playing five matches every Saturday. "Every match was 40 minutes long and I was criss-crossing Buenos Aires at high speed in order to get from pitch to pitch. "On Sunday I'd play for the Independiente youth team - they never knew that I'd played five games the previous day." In July, 2003, he broke Diego Maradona's record to become the youngest player to appear in the Argentine top division. He was just a month past his 15th birthday. He also played at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, firing Argentina to the gold medal. Sergio was snapped up by Spanish side Atletico for a fee thought to be a club record �20million in 2006. After five goal-laden seasons he joined City on a �200,000-a-week contract this summer. He will be joined in Manchester by two-year-old son Benjamin and wife Giannina - Maradona's daughter. Talking about his legendary father-in-law Sergio said: "Around the family I'll usually call him Diego, or sometimes 'suegro' - father-in-law. We get along fine. "However, when he offers his opinion about what I should do or where I should play my football I leave him in no doubt. I decide things like that, not him. "No one will ever be exactly like Maradona again but I think that every so often there is a total revolution in football and someone needs to be the revolutionary who starts things off. That's me. "Maradona made some noise in his day and I want to roar a bit in my day - now! "I like tricks, I like to dazzle. Dribbling and leaving your opponent on his backside is what life is for. "If I achieve what I want to then I'll mark a distinct era in football. I'm the Che Guevara of modern soccer." ********************************** Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsenal THE Gunners' �15million signing from Southampton always knew he had football ability in his genes. Uncle Neville Chamberlain was star striker for Port Vale in the late-Seventies and early-Eighties while dad Mark won eight caps for England. When pacy winger Alex started pre-school at Glenhurst in Havant, Hants, his skills quickly became apparent. Head teacher Ethna Haines said: "Alexander stood out. Picking football teams it was Alexander and one or two others against 11 of the rest. But he would never boast. In lessons he was bright and polite. A pleasure to teach." Alex, 18 on Monday, last season helped the Saints secure promotion to the Championship - and alerted the likes of Arsenal to his talent. And now he has moved to the Premier League, dad Mark and mum Wendie won't let it go to his head. Mark said: "I'd hate Alex to become one of these young boys acting like he's made it. We'll keep an eye on him." ***************************** Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea THERE is no chance of Romelu Lukaku behaving badly off the pitch - his mum would give him a thrashing. The �18million Belgian-born striker - whose switch to Chelsea has been delayed until next week - is one of the country's biggest celebrities and girls throw themselves at him. But wannabe WAGs won't get far as good behaviour was instilled in him from an early age by his strict West African parents. Mum Adolphine has admitted beating her children when they step out of line. She said: "Especially Romelu, whom I sometimes had to literally thrash." It would take a brave mum to thrash the 6ft 4in hulk now. With his strength and speed, Romelu, 18, is being dubbed the new Didier Drogba. Romelu played for his local team Rupel Boom at five before joining Lierse SK's youth academy at nine. Since joining Anderlecht in 2006 his career - and fame - have taken off. Chelsea fans will be hoping Romelu's star continues to soar at Stamford Bridge. **************************** Gervinho, Arsenal YOU won't be able to miss Gervinho when the Premier League kicks off tomorrow. With his long braided hair parted in the centre, the African forward has some of the wildest locks ever seen in football. But the 24-year-old's mother, Henriette Kouadio, says she is not concerned that her son's hair looks like a "girl's". She told The Sun: "It's the style of youngsters. It doesn't bother me that he wears locks like a girl. I tell myself it's his way of making himself noticed." What really got him noticed though was scoring 18 goals last season in France, even though he often played on the wing. The �10.7million star helped Lille win the league last season and he captained the Ivory Coast at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Gervinho, real name Gervais Yao Kouassi, was spotted on the streets of Abobo, a suburb of capital Abidjan. Now he has hit the big time, he hasn't forgotten his family. During this year's civil war he bought a house in a safer area for his parents and seven siblings.