Steloybits

Ibrahimović already scored two goals. Yet the crowd inside the stadium was chanting, “Messi! Messi!” Messi wasn’t even there. Who knows where he was? Still, they were chanting his name. The whole point was to get under one man’s skin. Human beings are strange creatures. Sometimes, they bring up one person’s name just to provoke someone else. Sweden needed just one more goal for Portugal to be knocked out of the World Cup. Ronaldo did what he always does. He made a run. Then another one. Two goals in just two minutes. A hat-trick. The entire stadium went silent. All those people chanting “Messi! Messi!” suddenly had nothing left to say. After the match, journalists approached Ronaldo. He simply said, “I’ve done my job.” As if he had just signed some paperwork at the office and was heading home. My Messi-supporting friends often take shots at me. They say, “Your Ronaldo never won the World Cup.” I usually say nothing. I’m not very good at arguing. But here’s the thing: I didn’t need a World Cup to admire him. I didn’t need 8 or 10 Ballon d’Ors. I didn’t need anything. He is Cristiano Ronaldo. That’s it. Nothing more is needed. There is an island called Madeira. A small island. And from there came a boy from an ordinary family. He had talent, but he never relied on talent alone. He worked hard. Inhumanly hard. When he lost, he cried, right in front of everyone. When he won, he celebrated with a roar, also in front of everyone. Most of us hide our tears and even our happiness. He never hid either. Maybe that’s why he feels so close to our hearts. Today, I heard that he has decided to hang up his country’s jersey. For many, his story ended incomplete because he never got to lift the biggest trophy of all. I’ve always had a soft spot for unfinished stories. When a story is complete, people close the book and go to sleep. But an unfinished story stays with you for a lifetime. It’s easy to gain fans when you win. Everyone wants to stand beside a champion. But to inspire millions to fall in love with football without ever winning its biggest trophy, how many footballers have done that? I honestly can’t think of anyone! Goodbye, Captain. Many win trophies. But there will only ever be one Cristiano Ronaldo. ❤️