Aparecido – The Applause

Nothing is difficult when nothing has ever come easy. What are a few boos from the stands when you've had to fight for your life in one of the world's most notorious prisons?

The life of Aparecido César Rodrigues, known to everyone simply as César, could easily be the stuff of a Hollywood film. And like any great blockbuster, it would open with an action-packed scene before the opening credits even roll.

The atmosphere at Clube Atlético Juventus was one of celebration. The team had just secured promotion to the top flight and spirits were high. As promised, the club president was due to distribute $100,000 among the players after training, with each receiving a share based on their appearances. But as he made his way to the dressing room, an SUV pulled up and two armed men emerged, robbing him of the money. Someone managed to take down the number plate. The vehicle was registered to César's brother, although César himself had been training on the pitch at the time. Under interrogation, he confessed: he had planned the whole thing. He was sentenced to five years in prison, a term later reduced for good behaviour.When he returned to football, he led his new club, Sao Caetano, all the way to the Copa do Brasil final. Italian journalists rather unimaginatively dubbed him the 'Brazilian Chievo'. His performances earned him a move to Lazio, where he initially struggled to find his feet. Then came a turning point: the arrival of Roberto Mancini, a manager with a particular fondness for technically gifted players. César was just the sort of player he admired. By then affectionately known as Cesaretto among the Lazio supporters, the Brazilian flourished and became an integral part of the side.His finest moment came in the Rome derby of January 2005, forever remembered as Di Canio's derby, when César scored the third goal. It was a moment of sheer jubilation for Lazio and their supporters. In his final season, he even wore the number 10 shirt. But when Mancini came calling again, the chance to follow him proved too tempting to turn down. Mancini wanted him at Inter, and the move finally went through in January 2006. César, however, arrived in far from peak condition and struggled to make an impact. There were even boos from the San Siro crowd. The following season, he was sent out on loan. Inter had strengthened their options on the left with Fabio Grosso, fresh from his World Cup triumph and newly arrived from Palermo, and the exceptional Maxwell, signed from Ajax as he continued his recovery from injury. César returned to Brazil with Corinthians before joining Livorno on loan in January. At 33, his Inter career appeared to be over. But his story took another unexpected turn. In the summer of 2007, with his loan spell at an end, César returned to training and set about proving himself all over again. He soon won everyone over. His technical ability was as impressive as ever, while his dedication helped him return to an excellent level of fitness. His versatility also made him a valuable asset, particularly when introduced from the bench. He became instrumental whenever Inter switched to a 4-3-3 during matches, thriving in a wide attacking role. The perfect final scene for his Hollywood story would have been Inter's home game against Catania early that season. Making his first start at San Siro since his return, César scored Inter's second goal. Ibrahimović played him through, Cesaretto raced clear and fired a left-footed shot beyond the goalkeeper and just under the crossbar. He leapt into the air, punched the sky in celebration and then spread his arms wide in front of the Curva Nord. Just months earlier, those same stands had echoed with boos. Now they rang with applause. They say there is no stadium more demanding than San Siro. Yet few places are quite so willing to forgive, or so quick to recognise determination, hard work and resilience.