What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think about Soccer? At the moment it’s Christiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres and David Beckham. When older people think of soccer, they conjure up memories of Pele, Maradona, Beckenbauer and Cruyff. These players are idols to millions, better known in remote corners of the globe than most presidents and pop stars.
Thses guys are the superstars, the players that have climbed the highest peaks of soccer and conquered it, accumulated riches, captivated millions and in the process changed the game of soccer forever. I can hear you asking what makes a superstar? There is no formula or magic potion, these players are a huge success because they have dedicated their lives to soccer.
All the great superstars of soccer have one thing in common, can you guess what it is? The truly great players possessed that almost mystic superstar quality, the intagible charisma which seperates them from other soccer players. Charisma cannot be bought, developed or trained, you either have it or you don’t.
Alot of players have set the soccer world on fire and caused a frenzy in the sporting media. Sometimes it was a spirit of defiance, take no prisoner attitude from the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Roy Keane and Vinnie Jones. Other times it was the leadership qualities of Beckenbauer, Pele and Maradona. Lets not forget the flair, color and entertainment of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Zidane.
All superstars can play under difficult, tense, sometimes dangerous conditions. Not only have they got the ability, but they have the instinct to express their personalities, to take risks and to turn the game upside down with an unexpected twist. They all put their stunning gift on public display no matter what time, place or conditions they are subjected to. How many players do you know that hide when the going gets tough?
Although soccer is a team sport and success is usually the result of a combined effort, it would be a pretty boring game without the spark and flair of the great players. Superstars add a dimension to the game that cannot be explained by the soccer purists.
This star quality cannot be taught, coached or even explained but in most players it can encouraged, harnessed and even developed. We have all seen a number of talented youngsters from the age of 12 and upwards who, by the time they reach 17-18 vanish from the game without trace. You might even be one of them.
For every soccer superstar that has conquered the world game, there must be literally thousands who
- through circumstances
- lack of determination
- lack of motivation
- or perhaps a lack of opportunity
remain forever unknown except to those who have seen the germ of a budding genius in them. So the lesson to be learnt here is this
Talent, even genius is no longer enough on its own. It must be accompanied by a healthy dose of soccer confidence and soccer motivation to succeed.
Not many players set out to become geniuses or to change the game, but many dream of becoming superstars. Not many will make it, but the vast majority will still get an enormous amount of fun and satisfaction out of the game. Not to mention all the great friends and memories. This site, Soccer Mastermind is dedicated to them.
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