My Football Musings
I’m not among the generation that got to see Pelé play. My dad did, though. He called him a legend. In my research on the guy, I found that he is considered by many as the greatest footballer of all time. When the Maradonas and the Christiano Ronaldos call someone the best to walk the earth then you know he was definitely great in his time.
This World Cup has got me thinking a lot. I definitely would’ve been a ball fan if I grew up among more guys. There’s this thing about it that I can’t explain but just know is there in the game that millions of people go crazy about. I almost tapped into that crazy when I felt that confusing slight pain in my chest till the next morning after Nigeria lost against Argentina. I thought that maybe I drank too much water or something. But the next morning it was still there. I thought, Maybe this is (a bit of) what hearbreak feels like. Oh well. We’ll try our luck again in another four years.
Anyway, my curiosity about football increased all of a sudden. At the office a movie about Pelé was on and that got me interested too. I made a mental note to get the film and watch it later. I checked up on his life, watched some of his goals (just liked I’d done for Ronaldinho, Jay Jay Okocha, Messi and Neymar). I’d been hearing his name here and there but knew nothing about him. I didn’t even know he’s black, is Brazilian and helped Brazil win three World Cups. The term “The Beautiful Game” was popularised because of him. At 17 he was playing on the same pitch with men older than him and he still shone. He had the remarkable ability to anticipate the moves of his opponents during play. Just imagine the applications of that in a game. Brazil called him a National Treasure just so he wouldn’t accept offers from outside countries. His fame and importance was so much that a Civil War in Nigeria had a ceasefire just so people could witness him play ball. When he met the President of the United States he was essentially introduced as the one who didnt need any introduction. He was the highest paid baller of his time. An opponent once said that watching him play made him want to hang up his boots. What else was there to achieve as a player?
A general theme and trend of thoughts that have been going on in my head for the past couple of weeks:
- People born to do something would be great
- The extraordinary power of hard work.
I’m not a ball fan but even people like me would know moves that are obviously hard to do. The way Ronaldinho used to dribble. The tricks Neymar performs on the field. You don’t try such stunts in a heated game unless it’s a part of you already. These guys don’t just play ball. They play it with finesse and skill. It’s clear. They’re so good with the ball that it’s like an extension of them or at the very least they have magnets in their feet. They don’t just get the job done. They make you enjoy watching them do it.
But for every beautiful goal scored there would’ve been thousands of missed shots in practice. For every successful mind blowing dribble there would’ve been days and nights of intense drilling. No matter how talented you are, you don’t get to where these guys got to without hard work. Something doesn’t become a part of you until you spend long periods of time with it. That’s the logical conclusion I arrived at. Fortunately for them, they have the passion so it won’t always feel like hard work. Either way it’s what you keep doing that you get better at and it’s what you’re gifted at that you shine in.
Hopefully I find whatever it is that applies to my own case. But for now I’ll just follow my dad’s advice which is I should continue what I know how to do. I don’t know what it is I’d be doing exactly that would leave my footprint in this world. That’s one of the thoughts that crossed my mind. What could I possibly be good at that could get me to such a point where I’m a world class voice in that field? It’s scary to think about when you’re already wondering whether you’ve missed opportunities you didn’t even know you had. Maybe I’m actually supposed to play basketball like everyone keeps screaming I should, for example. Can the voice of the people be the voice of God? How long would I fumble around before I figure out what exactly I’m supposed to be doing?
That’s the beauty of youth, though. By the grace of God I still have several years ahead of me. All I need is consistency and the reassurance that God is ordering my steps. It’s not like I’m a married man with children running around the house and wondering why I hate my life. I still have a slight room for trial by error till I get it right. People’s lives are written differently. Some people make moves early on in their lives. Some people have a longer growth curve. Get inspiration and copy good habits but never compare. My personal goal is to make an impact in whatever way I can, starting with the people I’m close to. What’s the use of being world class if you can’t even positively influence the people around you? My favourite form of investment is in people.
I think the takeaway from my musings is simple. Work hard at what you want to be but don’t leave your personality behind.
