We find ourselves within a society whose values differ greatly from those defended in past times. A society completely marked by the ephemeral nature of commitments, selfishness, dehumanization and extravagance.
Football, despite the eccentricity of certain hairstyles and the exorbitant living standards of certain players, is a sport closely linked to tradition. Those habits such as following your city’s team and feeling part of it, going to the stadium on Sundays with your parents or meeting your friends to enjoy a European night are what unleash the irremediable and irrational passion we feel for this sport.
This post is about that same unlikely feeling of some players for the club that gave them the opportunity to become professionals. Despite having supposedly irrefutable offers, they chose to remain all their sporting life in the same club, being an example of loyalty and vocation. In my opinion, there is a lot of merit in staying by the heart and leaving aside reason.
Of course, they all have their lives together and do not struggle to make ends meet. However, it is remarkable that their appreciation prevails over the depth of their checking accounts.
I am not referring to unknown players, on the contrary, I am referring to myths such as Lev Yashin (the only goalkeeper to have won the Golden Ball), Paolo Maldini, Ryan Giggs, Carles Puyol and Francesco Totti. For them football is family, you cannot choose it but you will fight for it until your last breath.
It is your turn. If you could choose to be remarkable player in many places or become a legend in only one, what would you choose?
Foot Renegades 