It is such fun to watch crucial World Cup games with friends and foes alike!
There is so much at stake for all concerned. When the tension rises, emotions run amok and the atmosphere can become stifling.
Some of my soccer-loving friends have even abandoned some matches, because they just can’t handle the disappointment of watching their team lose a match! Well, I guess these things are not for the faint hearted. Few of us are seated when we are shouting “take the ball…run faster…shooooooot, what are you waiting for?”

On these occasions, spiced up by the screams of women, there are those silently calling upon on God for divine intervention. At the same time, they cheer Neymar’s attempts at a goal, but also sympathize with the heroics of the Costa Rica goal keeper who has done an exceedingly great job in preventing him from scoring. So what do we want? Someone may ask!
A long awaited goal finally hits the back of net at 83 minutes before the normal 90 minutes are up and we are all on our feet, arms in the air! The next instance we see the star striker crying and in sympathy we all chorus “it is okaaaay!”.

Later, Neymar, who plays for France’s PSG, gives us something to work with when he said, “Not everyone knows what I went through to get here,” he posted on Twitter and Instagram.”Even parrots can talk, but walking the walk… not everyone does it. I cried out of happiness, overcoming, grit and desire to win.” A time comes in life when someone has to play to win or nothing else.

Few reflect this better than athletes. The desire to win is consuming and no wall is high enough, or waters deep enough to quench it.
But there comes a time when all of us ought to be in this place to be able to achieve the goals we have set ahead of us. When we don’t, we find endless excuses and play the blame game…and many times we give up even before we start!
My mother taught me, there is nothing priceless that comes your way without paying a price. She always urged us to go out and do odd jobs in our holidays and vacations.

She laid out a training regime that would help us forever value the importance of hard work. She taught us early enough, that work was work whether it is done be it in an office or outside. So we learnt to aim for and achieve our goals with no excuses. It was always possible!
To win means to always put up a good fight. When you fight you are resolved. Look for like-minded pals who speak your language of victory, invest your last penny because you totally believe in yourself and the goals you have set out. Close your ears to naysayers, the list is endless.

So, when Neymar cries tears of joy, he has definitely done this and more. Victory is priceless and pricey, but it is even sweeter when it involves a team. Although Brazil was my favourite and is now out, let the best team win in Russia 2018 next weekend.
But let me ask: are you paying the adequate price in your daily life to WIN?