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Real Madrid's Isco has taken some time out of his recovery to share a heartwarming newspaper clipping featuring his first ever interview, and it (controversially) reveals that Brazil and Barcelona icon Romario was the idol of his six-year-old self. 

The midfielder is sidelined for an, as yet, undetermined period of time after being diagnosed with appendicitis. However, he seems to be keeping his spirits up if his Instagram is anything to go by, reflecting on his childhood by sharing a newspaper snippet from more than 20 years ago. 

When asked what his hobbies were, he answered simply 'I like to play football,' before going on to say that he wants to be a footballer when he grows up, and that Romario is his idol.

In his storied career, Romario scored 309 goals in 448 games, won La Liga with Barcelona and the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and is renowned as one of the great strikers of all time. 

Overlooking the Real Madrid/Barcelona rivalry, Romario also had a brief stint with Valencia between 1996 and 1997 - where Isco would go on to make his professional debut 14 years later. 

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Since then, Isco has gone on to play for hometown club Malaga, and then Real Madrid, where he has scored 33 goals in 162 games.

He has made seven appearances for Los Blancos so far this season, but his recent diagnosis with accute appendicitis, and related surgery, means he will at least miss Real's upcoming Madrid derby in La Liga, as Atletico visit the Santiago Bernabeu.