Funchal's Star
It was in the eighties, a winter day in Funchal,
the capital of Madeira, when a woman gave birth.
She was an anonymous, struggling woman
sailing the seas of poverty, with three other
children to feed.
At first, she hesitated to have this little baby,
the fourth to come, because the family salary
did not cover more. Her husband, a good man,
who fought in a war in Africa for years,
and, in a different way, still fighting with himself,
he was of no help to the family at that time.
Finally, she took a decision as a mum,
to give light to her new baby.
After that moment, nothing changed for years,
until this baby was a little boy.
Then, he started to show signs of being special.
His intelligence, the way he faced life,
his unique behaviour.
He started thinking about turning a football
into his livelihood to have a better future
for himself and his family, and he certainly did.
As a teenager, his father couldn´t help him much,
but he also liked football, so, that fed the boy´s dreams.
He had a hard time in Lisbon at the beginning
of his career at the football school. He also suffered
from bullying, something that helped him to increase
his aims even more.
However, he also had friends
whom he remembers with great affection.
When he was eighteen,
he spread his wings to fly higher. He went to England,
where his dream started to come true.
After that, the Funchal´s star
showed that light that became brighter and brighter.
He was the best football player in the world;
Portugal, England, Spain, Italy, and keep on going.
A little particle coming from a poor Portuguese area
that reached many hearts.
I, personally don´t like football too much,
but I´m really enchanted about stories
that have so much to teach us.
And not only that, but this well-known sportsperson
is also a well-known friend of those who need him.
He really jumped and sorted out hard obstacles
through his life, to achieve the goal he set
for himself as a child.
What a great lesson taught!,
splendid, admirable lady-mum,
outstanding, unbeatable son.
He was born as a shining star,
whose light illuminates many paths to follow,
as a professional sportsman and as a born fighter from humility.
Copyright ©
Maria Fernandez-Garcia
|