The "90+5" Entry

I used to be indifferent to sports. But when you grow up with brothers like mine, you realize you do not really have a choice.?

I remember the game that introduced me to football.?

It was March 2017.

My brother had taken over the television in the living room to watch the 2nd leg of the PSG and Barcelona round of 16 match. He was rooting for Barcelona.?

He told me that PSG was ahead by 4 goals to none in the first leg. Meaning Barcelona had to make sure PSG did not get a goal and score 5 goals for them to win.

That sounded, well, impossible if I think about it now. But then I didn’t know anything about football so I decided to watch what would happen.?

In the first half there were 3 goals by the Barcelona team and it looked like they were on track to win.?

However, by the second half, PSG scored, meaning instead of just 2 goals, they would need 3 more.

My brothers are huge fans of Messi and Barcelona so the tension on the room was palpable.?

At the 85th minute, the score line was the same, with 5 minutes on the clock before stoppage time was added.?

By this time I was already hooked in the game but I had given up and so had my brother. He was already talking about how Barca still had la Liga to contend for??

Then something unreal happened.

By the 88th minute, Neymar scored making it 4:5. Then 5 minutes were added to the clock.?

He went on to score a penalty in the 91st minute, making it 5:5

But they needed one more to win.?

By this time my brothers and I were screaming and basically standing inside the television??

For my first time watching football I couldn’t believe my eyes. So this is what I’d been missing?????

I stood in front of the T.V. watching the match that day with my brother. We watched as at the last minute, Neymar got the ball into the penalty box and Roberto scored the winning goal. I remember the joy I felt in those minutes like it was yesterday.

One thing that game taught me is that nothing is over till you decide it is. The Barcelona team decided that it was not the end so it wasn’t.?

Their fight to the very end is what got them their victory.

After that match, I fell in love with football and I’m still in love with the game.?

In every match I have watched since then, I can tell if a team will come back or not just by the attitude of the players when they fall behind.?

Once their countenance drops, I know the game is over.?

But when they keep pushing, there is still hope.

The coach can try to speak hope, the fans can scream all they want, but if the people playing at the time feel it is over, then it is.

This isn’t really about football, it’s about YOU

What’s your countenance for your dreams right now??

Have you given up? Or are you still pushing??

Everyone can believe in your success, they can even support you, but if you give up, then there’s nothing that can be done.

As long as you keep pushing, there is hope for you.?

It is not over till it is over. No matter how much behind you think you are.?

The Bible says, a living dog is better than a dead lion. As long as there is life, there is hope.?

The game is still on. The clock is still ticking.?

The moment you decide to give up, you sign yourself up to just run around on the field with no aim to win.?

The clock does not stop for you.?

As long as you are alive, you are playing.

So the question is, will you play to win? Or play to lose?

That’s up to you.

RANDOM FACT OF THE DAY: This game between Barcelona and PSG is called the la Remontada in Spain today. La Remontada means the great comeback in Spanish, which is a perfect name for that game.

As long as you’re alive, there’s still hope for your comeback. Keep going

I’m rooting for you.

See you next Sunday!

Your trusty growth partner,

Dee?