Jorginho’s mother gets emotional after seeing son’s shirt at Chelsea MegaStore

The path to success is never easy, whether in life or in football. Especially in football.

It was 11 years ago that Jorginho, then a 15-year-old boy, left his home in Brazil for Italy to attempt to fulfill the footballing dreams shared by so many his generation. His mother was a footballer once, too, but she stayed behind and tried her best to support him from thousands of kilometres away.

Jorginho's talents took him to Verona, where his rose quickly. By 18, he was a full-time starter while on loan in the third division, before helping Verona win promotion to Serie A. Then, he moved to Napoli in January 2014, and began his rise to definitive stardom, culminating in a transfer battle between two of the richest teams in the world, with Chelsea beating champions Manchester City to his coveted signature.

Rising to such heights usually requires the sort of focus, willpower and strength that is uncommon among most. Without control, it can derail you. Without proper guidance, it can be wasted. Many fail to fulfill their potential, or worse, simply lose their way.

That has not been the case for Jorginho. He’s never forgotten his humble origins. Most importantly, he’s always kept in his mind his mother, doing what she could to provide for the family and help him achieve his dreams.

“My mother was a football player and [she] took me to the beach every day when she finished work. She was a housekeeper to provide for the family, but football was her big passion. We spent whole afternoons training the technique on the sand and her determination in life has become my mentality since the first football school. I play football only thanks to her.”

-Jorginho; source: Mondo Napoli

Eleven years and plenty of elbow grease later, these efforts are paying big dividends.

Here’s Jorginho’s mother seeing her son’s shirt at the Chelsea MegaStore, and if this doesn’t make you at least a little misty-eyed, maybe you should call your mother.

You are already a champion, Jorginho.