The game of soccer is as of life

Manchester United are the English Premier League Champions and the man who got them the glory has retired. Though never a fan of Sir Alex Ferguson, I give him the props for the hunger he inspired in his players. Hunger for success is in itself genius. And in the game of soccer as is of life, it's not often the smartest but the go-getter that wins greatly. Ferguson is one action-man who knew how to push his boys to deliver. 

Sixtus relaxes by playing ball

But there is more to life than just crowns. I support Arsenal FC because Arsene Wenger is all for the aesthetics; he has trained his boys to play with beautiful elegance. I suspect he finds the ends-and-means theory vulgar and highly contemptible. Employing a boringly defensive approach just because it wins trophies is for me to squeeze beauty out of life.

And let’s face it; beauty is everything. Even God created the world and everything therein for his pleasure. Women love tall, muscled men and men love curvy, gorgeous women - that's beauty. Television stations have beautiful news anchors because they will keep you glued to the screen. Of course it’s never about beauty alone. Beauty must be matched with substance. 

And substance is a combination of things: tenacity, adventure, drama, organisation, fitness, skill, fairness, partnership, intensity, self-belief, patience, responsibility, knowledge and the maturity of character to help you deal with upsets and great successes. Without maturity and discipline, it's easy to win the most sought-after crown but end up as a disgraced clown as we have examples of superstars whose careers have been cut down by cocaine.

The way I see it, it’s all about giving it your best while relishing every moment of it. If you are lucky, you will work with marvelous people whose genius will inspire the best and propel you to greater heights as those who played alongside Pele, Maradona or Messi can testify. Other times you end up on the same team with mediocres who will pull you down. Basically you win and lose some. 

This unpredictability in the game of life is what could have been at the back of King Solomon’s mind when he observed that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong nor riches to the wise nor favour to men of skill but that time and chance happen to them all.