By One may guess that Heaven received the highest number of requests and counter-requests today in a very long time. It was even evident in the twist that surrounded the highly competitive combat. But beyond the game, this match calls for some reflections, and while my thoughts on this remain personal opinions and may touch on the sensitivity of sports enthusiasts, I present it for consideration in the public space.
The last fourteen years have experienced the rise of football duo (Messi and Ronaldo) whose accomplishments might be doubted by generations to come. I mean how do we explain two persons exchanging Ballon D’or like pleasantries for ten years? The undisputable is the fact that the two individuals in question are great; both are legitimately entitled to the GOAT title (Greatest Of All Time). But for the record, I am Ronaldo’s fan. My team from the start of the tournament was Portugal. I wanted my GOAT to seal his place as the real GOAT. Evidently this year’s World Cup can be nicknamed Messi versus Ronaldo. It was particularly spectacular because it was the last chance for the GOATs to establish who the real GOAT is. So over half of the viewers of the World Cup were polarised around who the GOAT would be. So personally, my GOAT lost out. And what was left for those of us queueing behind my GOAT was to pray that the other GOAT should lose it. At least, let there be no one GOAT. Let us end it that the era produced two GOATs and not one GOAT. This was my position until my best friend told me that despite wanting Messi to have it, he would have supported Ronaldo if Messi had been out. In his words, what is wrong with us supporting the other GOAT if one GOAT is out? At this point my thought changed and I began to practically pray for Messi to be the GOAT. Why can’t we have one of the GOATs become the real GOAT?
This leads me to my argument: what is wrong with having the next person have it if our person cannot? While this might not be processable for the GOATS’ fans, the reality of life demands that we ask why life has to be COMPETITIVE rather than being COLLABORATIVE? If history will not forget both of them, what is wrong with one of them getting it? Why do we have to be rivals when we can be riders? Philosophers have said there are three agenda in the destiny of every man: what we pursue and later get, what we don’t trouble for and just get, and what we desire all-life-long and never get. If we understand that life comes across these dichotomies, we will envy less, compete less, rival less, and collaborate more and support more. Life is easier when we hold onto that popular line in the song written by the team of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans that was first published in 1955: “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)”.
God bless the GOATs; God bless the fans!
Ganiu Bamgbose writes from Lagos State University.
