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BOOT CAMP
PSV Eindhoven players force Xavi Simons to clean boots after training to ‘keep his feet on the ground’
PSV EINDHOVEN players are helping to keep Xavi Simons grounded - by forcing him to clean their boots.
The 19-year-old is attracting plenty of attention around the world as one of football's brightest young talents.
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He has scored ten goals and assisted four in 23 appearances for his new club following a summer transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
And the rising talent even went to the World Cup, featuring in the 3-1 win over the USA on his senior international debut.
But as one of the most junior members of the squad, his PSV team-mates are ensuring he does not get too ahead of himself.
A video posted by fellow young star Noni Madueke showed Simons still in his training kit scrubbing away at a boot in the sink before hanging it on the rack with the rest.
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London-born Madueke put his arm around his pal and said: "This is what happens, thank you brother," and captioned the post: "Gotta make sure our young superstar keeps his feet on the ground."
Just as Simons thinks he is done and walks to the exit door, the player filming the incident calls his name and offers out his own pair of cleats to be washed - and the teenager duly obliges, smiling before a goalkeeper drops off his gloves next to the basin.
Simons spent nine years in the Barcelona academy as a creative midfielder but left La Masia for PSG in 2019.
However, despite breaking into the first team at the Parc des Princes, decided to move back to his homeland with a transfer to PSV in 2022.
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And he is reaping the rewards with his stunning performances for Ruud van Nistelrooy's side.
Simons has a whopping 4.4million Instagram followers and has a big-money deal with sportswear giant adidas.
But despite seemingly being destined for greatness, he is not immune from the humbling graft in the kit room.
Cleaning boots is not uncommon - for many years youth team players and scholars have been designated a couple of first-team stars to keep their footwear in good condition.
Peter Crouch had David Ginola to keep happy at Tottenham in 1998-99 as the Frenchman was crowned PFA Player of the Year - but left Nike fuming because he faded the iconic swoosh by using so much polish.
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