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EM 2024: The childhood dream of professional football has been shattered

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Childhood dream shattered! Yes, you. You won’t be a professional footballer anymore. Get over it!

Bitter reckoning: In this photo, our author was five years old – eleven years younger than Spain’s teenage talent Lamine Yamal. Today, the two are separated by 15 years – and one European Championship

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Do you feel old when Wusiala casts a spell over the European Championship? Understandably. Few things bring your own mortality to the fore as mercilessly as a major football tournament. Time to say goodbye to a childhood dream. But don’t worry: you are not alone. Our author feels for you.

Are you over 30? Then please close Facebook for a moment (preferably forever) and listen. You have to be very strong now. Ready? No? Never mind, too late. Watch out:

You will no longer be a professional football player.

So, now it’s out. It hurts at first, of course. But hey! Chin up – you are not alone. For me too, the start of this European Championship is finally a, oh what, the Childhood dream shattered. The last time, when I was 27, I said to myself: “Now you’re at the best age for a footballer, go for it!” Today, at 31, I would be “experienced” at best, and at worst Tom Bartels and Almuth Schult would be amazed “that he can still sprint like that at that age!”

EM Generation Wusiala: The future takes over

Yes, the ravages of time are not just gnawing at me these days. With the bite force of an uncastrated Rottweiler, they are tearing apart my already faint hopes of a life as a lawn god.

This month has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. When Musiala and Wirtz, the future of German football, got their first taste of the European Championship in Munich, I almost created a TikTok account and installed Fortnite as a displacement activity. But I don’t want to kid myself anymore. The last bit of green behind my ears peeled off at some point between my first paycheck and my last shared flat party.

But what’s a decade anyway? Maybe I’ll still make it to the big football stage. After all, I wouldn’t start from scratch. In my youth, I “played at Bundesliga level”. Oh, you too? Look at how small the professional world is. Was it a knee injury for you too? Or the first cigarette? I don’t know exactly. As I get older, my memory suffers.

I now find myself thinking things like: “It’s crazy how small shin guards are these days.” NowadaysAs if the word “crass” wasn’t cringe enough. Or is cringe already cringe? I left the realm of the intentionally misunderstood long ago. I’m heading straight for the island of the “do-you-still-say-that-Soaners”, from whose shore Susanne Daubner waves happily at me.

The thought of public viewing gives me back pain

Watching this European Championship is also somehow different. In the past, there was shouting and drinking beer, now there was silence and Sodastream. If a faint sound of joy escapes at a particularly impressive Wusial trick, the friend, a coffee table coaster away, puts his index finger to his lips in warning. Pssst. His little daughter is sleeping next door. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

But what should I do? Go out? Watch in a group? Just the thought of public viewing gives me back pain. And besides, I wouldn’t be home until late – and I have to work tomorrow, earn money, be an adult. While I’m googling the symptoms of lumbago, a 16-year-old Spanish teenager named Yamal is breaking the youth law by keeping the European Championship dream of an entire nation alive after 11 p.m. And he has to get up early the next morning too. First maths lesson.

Plan B: a Rhenish Thomas Müller

Physically, a life as a professional footballer no longer seems very desirable to me.

When I see Niclas Füllkrug, who is about the same age as me, sitting on the bench, fidgety and hungry for every minute of exercise, I see a different species. If I were threatened with substitution, I would let out a respectable dad noise when I pulled myself together, despite the lack of offspring – a distinctive sound somewhere between a badly oiled garden gate and a pronounced sigh of world-weariness.

No, if I had to start a late-night show, I’d rather be a kind of Rhinelander, Thomas Müller. Broadcasting from the sidelines and then cracking a cheeky joke into the camera? I can see myself doing that.

Bastian Schweinsteiger – legend on the ball and comb

Maybe I’ll just skip the “active” football career and go straight to being a coach. It can’t be that difficult. Let’s be honest: They only put their starting eleven together the night before using the FIFA player ratings on the Playstation. Add a few rough edges, a pinch of approachability and the vague promise of a vision – and you have the cult coach. “The Normal One” is a thing of the past. I would be “The One”! Sounds catchy, saves printer ink. Disadvantage: everyone would know better than me. It’s not going to come to that. Who was a professional footballer? They or me? Ah, right.

Then plan C: I’ll leave all this nonsense behind and earn my Bitcoins as an expert. Being a smartass is related to my current job anyway. And in my 30s, I’m still one of the young wild ones on TV who exceed expectations simply because they use a smartphone with more than one finger at a time and no longer refer to the Internet as “the net.”

Gündoğan and Musiala also whirl against Hungary – all highlights in the video

06:00 min

There are enough role models. When Bastian Schweinsteiger, who stepped out of an Ansons catalogue, pours the nation the pure sporting truth with a mint-fresh Colgate smile and doesn’t even allow himself to be rushed by little things like the “Tagesschau” in his statements, I am fascinated. Not just by the razor-sharp analysis, but by that hair. By its color, an expensive Gorch Fock gray that makes Clooney look old and whose roots go deeper than the anchor of an oil tanker in the Mariana Trench. A legend, the man. With the ball and with the comb.

To new shores

But it’s not all the same. Football pro, that’s what it said in my Diddl friends book. Not a bench warmer, not a trainer, not an expert. A hero in socks, that was the plan. When I was twelve, I promised that to everyone who wanted to hear it (or didn’t want to hear it). Although: I also wanted to be a knight back then. So: I’ll learn to ride by the time I’m 40. I promise.

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SAD|| 10 Players Who Lost Everything After Divorce, Number 5 Will Shôck You

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The Hidden Financial Struggles of Footballers: Divorce’s Costly Toll

The glamorous image of professional footballers, with their luxurious lifestyles and multimillion-dollar contracts, often obscures a harsh reality: the financial devastation many endure through divorce. Behind the fame and fortune, several high-profile players have seen their wealth significantly depleted after parting ways with their spouses, a stark reminder that no amount of money can fully shield one of the financial pitfalls of personal relationships gone awry…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

 

One of the most shocking examples is that of former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboué, who lost not only his properties in England but also custody of his children following a bitter divorce. Despite earning millions during his career, Eboué found himself stripped of almost everything. His situation became a cautionary tale, underscoring that even the wealthiest footballers can fall victim to the financial ruin that divorce can bring.

Eboué is not alone. Football legends such as Thierry Henry and Ryan Giggs have also experienced significant financial losses due to divorce. Henry reportedly paid £10 million to his ex-wife, while Giggs parted with an astonishing £40 million after his marriage ended. Louis Saha and Wes Brown, both former Manchester United players, also suffered substantial financial hits, with Brown declaring bankruptcy despite earning £50,000 per week during his time at the club. His case highlights how even vast earnings can quickly evaporate when faced with legal settlements and financial mismanagement.

David James, the former England goalkeeper, faced a particularly dire situation, losing much of his fortune after divorce and being forced to auction his personal belongings to make ends meet. Similarly, Ray Parlour, another Arsenal great, saw his ex-wife receive half of his £10 million fortune, including a £2.5 million house. Jamie Redknapp, a former Liverpool star, also faced a hefty settlement, parting with half of his estimated £15 million fortune after his marriage ended.

These are just a few of the many footballers who have faced financial disaster due to divorce. Keith Gillespie, once a key figure in the Premier League, lost over £7 million, leading to his bankruptcy in 2010. Despite earning significant wages during his career, his divorce and poor financial decisions left him in financial ruin. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Perhaps the most shocking case is that of Tendai Ndoro, a Zimbabwean striker who lost everything after registering all his properties in his wife’s name. Following their breakup, she kicked him out of the house, leaving him with nothing. Ndoro’s story serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of not protecting one’s assets, even in relationships where trust is implicit.

For footballers, whose careers often peak early, these financial setbacks can be devastating. While their salaries are among the highest in professional sports, the combination of short career spans, legal fees, and divorce settlements can quickly erode their fortunes. Many players also face additional challenges in managing their finances due to a lack of financial education or oversight during their playing years.

These stories underscore the importance of safeguarding personal wealth, especially for high-earning individuals like footballers, who may be more vulnerable to financial upheaval. Proper financial planning, asset protection strategies, and prenups are increasingly necessary tools for protecting one’s earnings and securing a stable future.

In conclusion, while the public sees footballers as insulated by their wealth, the reality is that they are just as susceptible to the financial hardships of divorce as anyone else. The personal struggles behind the scenes reveal that their lives, though glamorous on the surface, are often fraught with the same vulnerabilities and challenges faced by ordinary individuals. These cases serve as sobering reminders that financial security is never guaranteed, even for those at the pinnacle of success.

 

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NFL | The best was yet to come, and then no

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In February 2022, the Bengals missed the Super Bowl by three small points, but regardless, the future seemed bright in Cincinnati.


Posted at 1:13 a.m.

Updated at 7:00 a.m.

In any case, that’s what we, the most seasoned experts in American football, believed, capable of seeing the future each season, often in a very impressive way; for example, this column has been predicting since 1970 that the New York Jets are not going to win the Super Bowl, and that’s still exactly what happens.

The Bengals have never won anything, but their presence on the big stage two years ago suggested that, a bit like the Nordiques in 1990, the best was yet to come.

Well, no.

As of this hour, the Bengals are a dismal 1-4, and even then, their only win came against the Carolina Panthers, who are about as bad as they are.

The good news for the Bengals is that this “landing” is fairly easily explained: their defense is pretty awful. The less good news is that it is probably already too late to try to solve this problem.

In five games, the Bengals have allowed a total of 145 points, which gives a pretty staggering average of 29 points per game. No one else in the American Association looks this bad, and in the league as a whole, only the Carolina Panthers are even worse in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Bengals are wasting the best years of Joe Burrow, who turns 28 in December. He wouldn’t be the first quality quarterback to waste his talent in this uniform.

Is it necessary here to remember that in American football, as in life in general, there is never anything certain? This reality reminds us of this sublime quote from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who once wrote that “supreme happiness is a hundred times sweeter to hope for than to obtain”.

Rousseau must have been a Bengals fan, obviously.

You are probably aware that the New York Jets fired their coachbut that’s not the worst. The worst part is that poor Robert Saleh would have been escorted to the door like a pauper by security agents.

PHOTO MIKE STOBE, ARCHIVES AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh

It’s undoubtedly one of the worst moments in the history of a club that collects the worst moments, from Mark Sanchez dropping a ball on his lineman’s pussy, to a visibly hot Joe Namath trying to to kiss a reporter live on TV (we’re going to move on to the naughty photo of Brett Favre because there are children here).

We can never repeat it enough: in football, as in life, everything starts from the top. The leaders of the Jets, who display a level of competence similar to that of the inventors of Pepsi Crystal, thus opted for the easy way, instead of realizing that their ground game is non-existent, and that their quarterback who hears voices in his head is finished.

In addition, barely installed, new coach Jeff Ulbrich decided to give control of the attack to assistant Todd Downing, who will call the plays from now on. This is not a detail because this task previously fell to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, close and confidant of Aaron Rodgers.

It’s obvious that this is going to end very badly. As per usual.

Someone whispers in my ear that the inbox is overflowing again, so let’s get to it right away.

First, Luc Girouard from Sept-Îles sends us this timely little comment: “Would Prince Rodgers have plotted to kick Robert Saleh out in order to take his place? »

We all see what you did, Luc.

Then, there is a certain Nicolas B. from Laval who sent this: “Hi Richard. Great weekly column on football. Really entertaining. In addition, you allow my teenagers to read about football in French, which is still a challenge […] If you ever make a reference to my comment, my sports travel gang is buying me a beer on our next trip. »

You will demand a micro beer, Nicolas. Finally, there is Marco Campanozzi who can no longer hear about “mixing” and the right chair: “I can’t do it anymore!!! »

We are Marco.

It will be another great opportunity to lock yourself in front of the TV while pretending to do something constructive, because Sunday’s menu is particularly spicy.

Thus, Commanders in a state of grace will go to Baltimore to prove that they are serious, the Chargers will go to Denver in the hope of recovering after two defeats in a row, and the Cowboys will host the Lions, in a match that they can’t really let slip away, just to build something following the little miracle last Sunday night in Pittsburgh.

Don’t forget to check out the colors during halftime.

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A young badminton player realizes his deceased father’s dream

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Only 13 years old, badminton-player-honors-fathers-dream-at-nationals/” title=”13-year-old Saskatchewan badminton player honors father’s dream at nationals”>Gautham Sumesh is preparing to realize the dream of his father, who died six months ago: he will soon participate in the National Badminton Championship.

My father was really addicted to badmintonrecalls the Saskatchewan teenager. He really liked that I played.

Gautham Sumesh has been playing badminton since he was old enough to handle a racket. The first time he managed to beat his father, Sumesh Pulavathil, he was offered a drink to celebrate the event.

Sadly, Sumesh Pulavathil died in a road accident near Estevan last October.

Despite the tragedy, the teenager continues to carry his family’s dreams: Gautham Sumesh won the provincial championships this year and is preparing to participate in the National Championship in New Brunswick.

He would be really happyhe believes.

Dreaming of badminton

The young player’s parents left India in 2022 in the hope that their son would become a top badminton player.

: Gautham badminton”,”text”:”When we moved to Canada, we only had one thing in mind: Gautham badminton”}}”>When we moved to Canada, we only had one thing in mind: Gautham badmintonexplains the latter’s mother, Gayathri Ramdas. It is the foundation of our family life.

Her husband put everything in place to help his son play. He bought him shoes and racquets, in addition to devoting many hours to coaching him and other children.

Sumesh Pulavathil (front) was an avid badminton player. (Archive photo)

Photo: Provided by Gayathri Ramdas

Although the family was devastated by Sumesh Pulavathil’s death, there was never any question of the teenager quitting badminton. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Since the death of his father, Gautham Sumesh has undergone intensive training, particularly in preparation for the provincial competition which took place in April.

He remembers that no one knew him when he started competing provincially, but that changed after his victory at the provincial championship.

: “Hey, good job!” Everyone started talking to me and becoming friends with me”,”text”:”After I won, everyone said to me: “Hey, good job! “Everyone started talking to me and becoming friends with me”}}”>After I won, everyone said to me: “Hey, good job!” Everyone started talking to me and becoming friends with meexplained Gautham Sumesh.

A portrait of Sumesh Pulavathil (far left) and his family.

Photo: Provided by Gayathri Ramdas

Despite his son’s success in the championship, Gayathri Ramdas believes the victory was bittersweet due to his father’s absence.

Despite everything, she watched her son grow up and demonstrate the values ​​of sportsmanship and good play that she and her husband wanted to instill in him, as he harbored ambitions of becoming a professional badminton player.

I’m little by little catching up on all the dreams we had.

With information from Janani Whitfield

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