Patrice Evra is one of the most beloved personalities in football. The retired left-back often sports a smile on his face and almost never takes himself too seriously.

The Frenchman won a host of trophies at Manchester United under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson, before playing for Juventus between 2014 and 2017.

The 40-year-old remains a popular figure in Turin as witnessed by the warm welcome he received during his visit to the Allianz Stadium last month. He was present for the Bianconeri’s big Champions League clash against Chelsea, and he was seen widely celebrating the victory.

Unfortunately, there’s a sad story behind Patrice’s broad smile, one that he kept hidden for decades, but finally decided to reveal.

Evra released his autobiography, revealing that he was a victim of sexual abuse at the age of 13.

“It was a difficult time for me, my mom was devastated by this. I’m yet to tell some of my brothers, sisters and close friends. I don’t want people to feel pity,” said Evra according The Sun via Calciomercato.

“It’s a difficult situation. A mother doesn’t expect to hear such a detail from her son. It was a major shock to her. She also told me not to put it in the book, but I explained to her that I did it for the other boys. She understood.”

Juve FC say

Evra should be applauded, as it takes some courage to come out and reveal such a disturbing story.

However, the player is proving to be a role model for the youngsters and anyone else who is a victim of sexual abuse, encouraging them to speak out on the matter for their own good, while it also benefits the society as a whole.