Sao Paulo is Brazil's great talent factory and now Europe wants in on the varzea culture that helps create wonderkids

What makes football in Sao Paulo special? It is a question that the city’s great football clubs have been asking themselves almost as much as the European scouts who visit. By embracing the past, the aim to ensure that they keep creating talent in the future.

For context, Sao Paulo and nearby Santos have produced the most World Cup winners of any teams in Brazil, while Sao Paulo and rivals Palmeiras boast the distinction of being the only two teams to have provided a player in each of Brazil's five World Cup winning squads.

In the Brazil squad for this tournament, goalkeeper Ederson and the star defensive duo of Gabriel and Marquinhos are all Sao Paulo natives. Meanwhile, Neymar, Casemiro, Alex Sandro and Gabriel Martinelli were also born in the greater Sao Paulo area.

Others have been drawn to the city in search of greater opportunities. Endrick, for example, the Real Madrid forward, was born in Brasilia but moved to Sao Paulo as a boy. Palmeiras provided his father Douglas with work to help facilitate his move from Goias.