Sean Panteres

Sean Panteres is a Brazilian janitor and former footballer from Rio de Janeiro. He is known for occasionally attending United Nation General Assemblies and is known most for surviving being taken by Socialist World Republic troops in Poland.

Not much is known about Panteres or his origins, but he was born around 1980 to two parents who abandoned him upon his birth.

Early Life
Panteres was born to parents who abandoned him upon his birth. Panteres was taken in for a home for orphans after several years on the streets. He developed an interest in football and went on to play for his school football team. Panteres hoped that one day he would become a famous footballer and eventually play at the World Cup. His dream was that his parents would see him on the television and find him. Panteres was scouted by CR Flamengo when Panteres was only 10 years old. Panteres was known for his excellent skill on the ball. He continued his football career through school and represented his high school football team.

Football Career
Panteres made his breakthrough into the CR Flamengo first team in a match against Botofogo FR in Série A in the 1998/99 season. On his debut, Panteres scored three goals and assisted twice. Panteres was then dubbed as the "new Pelé" and was given the man of the match award along with the player of the month award later on. Panteres went on to make 42 appearances that season before a cruciate ligament injury struck during training. Panteres returned to first team football in the 1999/2000 season before another season ending injury occurred after only making 8 appearances for the club. The following season, Panteres made an appearance in a pre-season tournament against Liverpool where he scored ten times. After a great season, Panteres had scored 50 goals and made 100 assists in only 40 total appearances for the club. Despite appearing quite injury prone, Panteres then signed a contract with Real Madrid. Panteres moved to Real Madrid in the 2001/2002 season and won the Champions League and came 3rd in LaLiga with 50 total appearances, 20 goals and 70 assists. Panteres made it into the LaLiga Team of the Season and was also nominated for the Ballon d'or. Panteres was known for his excellent passing and shooting from midfield and Pelé commented that Panteres was ultimately his successor. Porto manager Jose Mourinho commented that "Panteres is one of the best players of all time. He is out of this world." Panteres rejected transfer offers from multiple clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Barcelona saying in a press conference that "I love Madrid. They gave me everything and I owe them my life. I love Madrid." Panteres' performance earned him in a place in the Brazil squad for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. Panteres made four appearances and made three assists and one goal. When the full time whistle blew in the final against Germany, an emotional Panteres broke down on the floor sobbing and he began to pray. Brazil won the 2002 World Cup and Panteres was happy to represent Brazil. However, upon returning home after the World Cup, Panteres waited for hours by the telephone hoping that his parents would ring him. After waiting several months, he gave up.

During a pre-season match against Manchester United, Panteres broke both of his legs following a red card tackle by Gary Neville. Panteres sat the 2002/2003 season out due to the injury and did not break into the first team for the entirety of the 2003/2004 season with a short unsuccessful loan spell at Birmingham FC. His loan spell at Birmingham FC was cut short after Panteres made his debut against Reading FC and tore his calf muscle and twisted both of his ankles. Panteres began to cry before being helped off the pitch. Due to the injury, Real Madrid recalled him early as Panteres would not play for the rest of the season for Birmingham. He never fully recovered from his injury against Manchester United and at Birmingham and was in terrible form. For the rest of the season he played with Real Madrid's reserve team before being released as a free agent when his contract expired and was widely forgotten by most fans.

After Madrid
After his release from Real Madrid, Panteres returned to Rio de Janeiro where he found little aid or support as everybody had forgotten who he was. Panteres' wealth that he had gained as a world class footballer was stolen by his agent and Panteres became homeless. He ate lots of rats to sustain himself and became addicted to heroin which he bought from selling rat bones. Panteres lived in a disused sewage pipe in a small alleyway in the favelas in Rio. Panteres called this his "rat cave" and hoarded rats. During the 2006 World Cup, Panteres watched it on a television set that he had recovered from a landfill. He cried whilst watching Brazil play and wished he could still be playing football.

Arrest in 2014
Panteres was arrested in 2014 after attempting to break into Estádio Mineirão where a 2014 World Cup match between Germany and Brazil was taking place. Panteres was reportedly forcing himself inside the stadium without a ticket, assaulting two staff members and evading arrest. Police tracked him back to his "rat cave" as he called it and arrested him. Charges were dropped on Panteres as he was kept in the jail for so long that everyone apparently forgot why he was there and Panteres was released. Upon returning to his rat cave, Panteres had discovered that it had been raided by a drug gang and all his rats had been stolen. Panteres tried to kill himself before being stopped by passerby and fellow homeless person, Helena Victor.

Relationship with Helena Victor
Panteres fell in love with Helena Victor, a maid in the favelas. The two got married in 2016 and Panteres moved into Victor's house. The two enjoyed knitting together and played football. Victor got pregnant in late 2017. Panteres gifted Victor his Ballon d'or and his Champions League Winner's Medal, both of which he won at Real Madrid. On one particular night, an arguement broke out between the two as Victor refused to believe that Panteres was a former Real Madrid footballer. Panteres hit Victor and she was hospitalised with severe head injuries. However, the two continued a happy relationship.

Victor tragically died after getting a severe infection after eating rat stew made by Panteres in 2018. Victor went to hospital on the day before the two were about to board a flight to Russia to watch Brazil at the 2018 World Cup. Panteres was so depressed that he only wore black from four years straight and he vowed to never eat rats ever again. Panteres was not arrested for creating the rat stew.

2018 - Now
Panteres sold his house in the favela and collected his remaining savings and began to travel the world. Before he left, Panteres buried Victor, along with his Ballon d'or and Champions League medal, underneath a tree in the Amazon Rain forest. Unfortunately, everybody had forgotten about Victor too and nobody attended her funeral except Panteres. Panteres spent the next week fighting off rats who kept attempting to eat her buried corpse.

Panteres departed for Panama mid-2018 where he ran out of money and subsequently had to walk everywhere to continue his travels. He walked to New York City and arrived early 2020.

Panteres got a part time job as a janitor on a Brazilian cargo ship which was heading to Poland. He needed more money to fund his very limited and basic nomadic lifestyle. He aspired to travel to Madrid so he could see Real Madrid play once more. Whilst working on the ship, SWR troops took all sailors hostage, including Panteres. However, negotiations between Brazil and the SWR with China as a mediator led to the release of the hostages. Panteres returned back to Brazil with the crew with whom he made good friends with. Panteres was once again involved in an altercation with some of his crew after they refused to believe he used to be a famous footballer. After making up with them, Panteres continues to sail with the Brazilian cargo crew.

Panteres frequently comes to the United Nations to talk about his life and struggles in Brazil. Brazilian President Guillermo-Fonte gave Panteres a tour of his home and had dinner with him. Guillermo-Fonte listened to Panteres' life story and gave assurance to him about his time at Real Madrid saying that he does indeed remember him playing football. Panteres' life story allegedly influenced many future decisions that Guillermo-Fonte made regarding poverty later on.