Published: 31 March, 2016
by TOM FOOT

ALEXIS Sanchez has revealed he didn’t have a football pitch to play on when he was growing up in a Chile ghetto.

Now Arsenal’s midfield goal machine has paid for two pitches in his home town of Tocopilla – known as the Devil’s Corner – where drugs and alcohol were a problem.

“I wanted young kids to have a decent pitch to play on, because I didn’t have one when I was younger,” the 27-year-old told Arsenal Player. “I’m lucky because I’ve had the opportunity to leave the country and play football, but it’s a small town and opportunities are not common. People can end up going down the wrong path with alcohol and drugs, and that’s bad news for kids. When I’m there I try to set up events where I play with the kids and try to boost them.”

Tocopilla has a population of about 25,000 people and was hit in 2007 by a major earthquake that rendered a fifth of the population homeless.

It’s better known for producing baseball players, than world-class footballers like Alexis. Its name literally translates as “Devil’s Corner”.

Alexis said: “Every time I go I try to set up events and get gifts just to see the smiles on small children’s faces.

“I honestly believe that children are the most important thing in the world. They learn from adults and it’s very important to be good role models.”