Straight up I'll come clean by announcing I'm a seasonal fan, The only team I religiously support are the ones when they're playing worldcup and maybe Kerala Blasters in the past. I've never seen you really in your peak or fell for the magic everyone have witnessed. Growing up i was more into watching cricket and playing football, ig real madrid was branded onto my group of team ( who used to play football with a stumper rubber cricket ball durin' intervals ) by them barca bois when i was 7 or 8. I've had no clue what real madrid or barca was and thought real madrid ( prounced as rail ) had to do something with Indian railways, Sachin Sachin Sachin was the only name I heard from sports as cricket was the only sport I used to subscribe to as a kid. My first real encounter with mainstream football was in 2010 the SA worldcup ig I was in 4th std by then.
fast fwd my childhood to 2022, when I was supposed to be in my "Final Year" in NITC, I was well aware that I'd not clear my courses that year... Life was breaking apart at that time, well how could I tell everyone who asks me about my course that I'm a bigg aaahhhh failiure and I've them repeat courses clustered up, can't sit for placement. The truth is I didn't really feel the gravity of all this until everyone in my batch really left.... Ig I did cry like Cristiano infront of D hostel one midnight wrapping swathy in my arms, on his shoulder. Hell Broke Loose in the following years, Just as when I thought My peak has ended I found more and more reason to push my limits, break build everything around me. From joining E-Gov / OHC as an Intern, then Full Time and then Intern Back again, From going back to campus, taking a break and going back again once more, the chaotic roller coaster that my life is reached it's station where I gotta say goodbye to NITC.
As my final course the one that've been haunting me from 2022 ? ( 3rd year Control System ) was cleared with the Annual REX / SAY exam, I've completed 160/160 credits to be eligible for the Degree, B.Tech... I'll write more in detail about this but this one, this one's for you Cristiano, You've been a beacon of resilience to me, when the world calls you arrogant and when everyone rallies behind messiah, even tho you carry the name of christ, You've been the devil to those who hate you. And maybe that's why I relate more to you. Regardless of what anyone has to say, I know it in my heart that you just gave your absolute best this tournament, It's easy to point fingers at others and hold them responsible for your failiure, starting from the manager, the elite mid-field and whatnot. But I don't want to. I don't know what your future holds, my brain knows that you can't claim that trophee again... But in my heart I'm constantly hoping. 45 ? that's a big number but ig so was 25 to finish a B.tech degree ?? Regardless, F words to anyone who says "Leave football, before Football Leaves you" to you, And I hope that you get to push you further in the coming years.
One last fun fact, I used to feel like a hypocrite supporting you, and looking down on myself. For someone who treats Cristiano their Idol, I'm lazy af, or so I thought. But analyzing myself more I see you in myself too, pushing me to my limits for the things I love ending up loosin' where it mattered, yet getting back on my feet to fight for another day.
Together Ig we shall meet in the Looser's Paradise.