WORLD CUP 2010: Luis Fabiano - Brazil's rude goalscorer who dreams of a move to Manchester

By Ashley Gray for MailOnline
Updated: 19:44 EDT, 1 July 2010

If Luis Fabiano is 29, why haven't we seen him at a World Cup before?

The Sevilla striker is a late developer. Despite making his debut in 2003, he didn't become a regular for Brazil until Dunga turned to him in 2007.

While the coach has spurned legend Ronaldo, plus bad boys Ronaldinho and Adriano, Fabiano has been a mainstay with 22 goals in 30 games during the Dunga era.

He has hit three goals already at this World Cup.

The boy from Brazil: Luis Fabiano has enjoyed a fine World Cup in South Africa so far for coach Dunga's men

Sounds like a reliable chap...

Not entirely. His school reports tell of a child who got into fights, was unruly, ill-mannered and with a potty mouth.

As a 14-year-old he was dumped by his local club Guarani and worked unloading trucks, as well as in a family friend's car workshop.

Heading off: Luis Fabiano dreams of playing for Manchester United

So, how did he turn it around?

Ponte Preta, another club in his hometown of Campinas, took him on as a 15-year-old and turned him from a winger into a centre forward.

After a short stint at Rennes, he made his name at Sao Paulo. Only the great Arthur Friedenreich boasts a better strike-rate for the club than Fabiano, who hit 118 goals there in 160 games.

And then he moved to Sevilla?

First came an understandably average season at Porto. His mother Sandra was kidnapped and held captive for two months in Brazil while he tried to play on.

In Spain, the 6ft striker has hit 94 goals in 190 games. He dreams of joining Manchester United or AC Milan as he heads into the final year of his current deal.

Does he still have wild streak?

Yes, though the red cards are less frequent and he claims to have been tamed since fathering daughters Giovana and Gabriela.