A filmmaker abandoned his childhood aspiration of a football career due to anxieties about the size of his penis. Sikou Niakate, 34, grew up playing football in Paris and idolising Manchester United at the height of Sir Alex Ferguson's legendary tenure. He dreamed of emulating David Beckham and Patrice Evra at Old Trafford, displaying potential and even attracted comparisons to Manchester City legend Yaya Toure owing to his tall stature and playing style.

However, Niakate has now disclosed how he relinquished his ambitions of joining a football club because he felt self-conscious about his private parts. In a compelling new documentary entitled 'Dans le noir, les hommes pleurent' (In the Dark, Men Cry), which explores themes of masculinity and is available on YouTube, the director recalls two distressing episodes from his youth that intensified his fear of ever changing in a dressing room. The thought of communal showering rapidly became inconceivable, bringing an end to his dreams of a career in football.

Speaking to L'Equipe, he said: "As a child, I only wanted one thing: to become a footballer. I...