Filipe Luis: '80 percent' of footballers live in bubble

Filipe Luis doesn't ponder whether footballers are sheltered from reality, as the Brazilian left-back knows the answer.

In conversation with El Mundo, Luis said that the majority of footballers are insulated from real life and pointed to the flashy lifestyles that younger players showcase. The product of Figueirense also admitted to making mistakes near the beginning of his career, but praised his father for keeping him focused.

"Eighty percent live in a bubble," Luis said. "Especially the youngsters, who immediately want to imitate their idols. They believe that if they go with a branded bag under the arm, €400 shoes and eight tattoos that they're already stars and only for this will people respect them. They forget the real world. It's the classic bubble of the footballer: Come up and buy yourself an impressive car with your first salary."

Questioned about what he did with his first salary, Luis replied: "Buying myself a car. It cost more than what it covered and my father had to help me pay for it. When you grow up you realise that you can already be (Diego) Maradona, that this ends for everyone and it's worth more to you to have prepared for the life after, but before we make almost all the same mistakes. I also had my moments of going out or drinking more than I should have. Luckily, my father got me back on track."

Luis, who is regarded as a late bloomer, didn't debut for Brazil until 2009, when he was 24 years old.