Football

This is a chapter from my third book called Love letters

I never understood why Americans call their game that they play mostly with their hands football and then call real football soccer. I just have to get that one off my chest. Ironically the term soccer originated in England as an abbreviation for "association football" which became "assoccer" which became "soccer". 

Football is the beautiful game and according to Brazilian fans "jogo bonito". Football has some of the most passionate and colorful fans in all sports. Individual talent counts but team play matters more and even the cheering of fans can bring results. Football teaches discipline and perseverance. Football teaches me that there is strength in numbers and that we have to fight for what we want in life and fight until the end.

I have had a ball of a time over the years being a fan of football. Interestingly enough I have hardly ever played football. I was too much of a nerd I guess. My earliest love for football has to be for the Trinidad and Tobago Strike Squad that almost made it to the World Cup in Italy. Football can make the toughest of people cry. Tears of joy or tears of total heartbreak.

I remember the chant we had in Saint Mary's College when we gathered for Intercol football with the rhythm section - A raz a taz a raz a taz a zim boom bah! Saint Mary's! Come on Saint Mary's! I respected the footballers who had to balance football with school work.

The Football World Cup is the largest event in the world. I enjoy opening world cup sticker packs when I can. Who remembers those Coca Cola World Cup collectors cups? The last World Cup in Qatar made me sick with excitement. The frenzy was too much for me when I needed to remain my usually calm self.

My old and battered Manchester City jersey is my favorite and I wear it to all my clinic days. I wrote the following when we won the champions league and the treble: Through my good times and especially through my bad times this team and football gave me something to look forward to, to celebrate and to be a part of. I have grown with this team. Part of my strength, courage and confidence comes from this team. Thank you team.

My favorite player that comes to my mind at the moment is Kompany. I admired his captaincy and how he directed the flow of play and he was a defender that could score goals. I do not watch any EPL football these days but I keep up with the scores and social media and I manage with my fantasy team. I cannot afford the subscription and we all know that we are not supposed to stream the football from these other questionable websites.

Football unites the world and the only disagreements come in the form of harmless banter. I remember the nineteen eighty nine Strike Squad game that broke every single Trinidadian's heart. The hope of a nation was in the national stadium that day with a sea of red. For that moment and the days leading up, we were united, we were one people. When we qualified for Germany years later national pride would be at the highest. We were the smallest country to do so. There were flags everywhere. My eyes are watery just remembering this.

My thoughts on the future of football: I would like to see VAR and refereeing get better so that we are less likely to say that a team was cheated or unlucky or that the game is unfair. I would also like to see the Caribbean host a few World Cup final games. It would be nice to see more peace messages promoted through football. I love that football can bring people together from all walks of life. And said from the heart by the legend Pelé, "Football is a sport that can unite the world. It's a language that everyone understands."

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