“I do not like football, it is just my job”. Simple but overwhelming, this statement by Gabriel Batistuta “Batigol” perfectly defines the theme of today’s post.
Leaving aside fanaticism and respecting everyone’s hobbies, how is it possible to dedicate oneself to a profession as passionate as it is demanding without professing the most sincere of loves? Whether because of family obligations or because of their facilities with the ball, there are a number of professionals who did not choose this destination and who get up every morning turning their backs on football.
The name of our first protagonist is advanced in the first lines of this writing. The second highest scorer in the Albiceleste history admitted a few years ago that for him, the game was simply another job.
Cancún saw the birth of the second player I would like to talk about. Carlos Vela, a globetrotter par excellence, has indicated on more than one occasion his preference for the seventh art rather than football.
Continuing on the offensive side, for our third protagonist we move to Italy. None other than Capocannoniere of Serie A in 2003 and an emblem of the Azzurri, Christian Vieri. His time as a child in Australia left a mark on him, as he revealed that his true passion was cricket.
We move from a footballer whose goals were raining down on him to a character who stood out for sucking dry the strikers who faced him. One of the most successful goalkeepers with an incorrigible character, Víctor Valdés announced that he would not choose to be a goalkeeper if he had the chance to start from scratch.
The essence of football lies in the deep irrationality of the colours. If even the players themselves hesitate to run after the ball and become mercenaries, what is the point of continuing to play?
Foot Renegades 