THE ART OF THE COMEBACK: HIS NAME IS CRISTIANO RONALDO

                              

Born on 5^th of February, 1985, Cristiano Ronaldo started his youth football career at Andorinha, Portugal and eventually made it to the prestigious English Premier League side, Manchester United. His hardwork and excellence made him a big success at the club that he subsequently won the most-coveted male world footballer of the year award in 2008. He also followed this up with a big move to another big club in the Spanish La Liga, Real Madrid in a world record transfer. As the expectations rose and at a point subsequently, it looked like Lionel Messi, the great Argentinean was taking the shine, the glory and the fame off him. This is because Messi had gone ahead to win four successive world footballer of the year titles in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Ronaldo was down, was the shadow of his former self, was pitiable and was denigrated. It came to a point in those trying and down times that Ronaldo was not going for the annual FIFA award gala night because it was almost certain that Lionel Messi was going to win the much coveted award. Confidence was waning, joy was shattering, Ronaldo was no longer the known CR 7 and he was almost out.

He Fought Back

However, in stead of blaming anyone for his seeming dwindling fortune, Ronaldo braced up, encouraged himself and applied the same principles that made him famous in the first place- hardwork, self-belief, confidence, creativity and hardwork again. He picked himself up, dusted-off himself, restrategized and working very hard, he was getting better and better like the old wine that gets better with time. The older he grew, the better he got. True to it, Cristiano Ronaldo was once again crowned the world footballer of the year in 2014 for the 2013 season and keeping to the same principles and discipline, he again emerged the world footballer of the year this January, 2015, for the 2014 season, achieving the goal he set for himself; breaking all odds and barriers. All things are possible. I can also say that judging from the way he is going, he looks certain to retain the same award next year.

You Can Also Succeed

Now, are you down? Have you failed at doing something and you think that is the end? Have you been jilted and disappointed in a relationship? Have you tried severally in securing admission for an academic programme to no avail? Have you failed and have you failed?

Listen, brace yourself up. Pick up yourself, go again. Don’t be out. You can be down but don’t be out. Start that business again. Enter into another relationship as there is someone out there who appreciates you better. Set new goals. Get up, get up and move to succeed. Enter for that examination again. Apply for that master’s programme again. Remember, you only fail when you have refused to get up and go again. Remember also that Henry Ford said that failure is an opportunity to start again and start in a better way. Start again, start in a better way. Work hard, believe in yourself, believe in the goal you set for yourself and with God on your side, that goal will be realized before you know it. Remember, without a goal, you cannot achieve anything. So, set the goal and realize it. Ronaldo did it, you can do it. Go ahead and succeed, the world is waiting to hear from you. Remain blessed.