Looking Back At My Football Career

Playing football or soccer or whatever you want to call it is quite interesting. Is by far the most popular sport in the world and it brings people of all different sizes and places together. It's a team sport for sure, with a lot of skill but also endurance and mental strength.

I started playing in a team (Kronängs IF) around 4 years old and I don't have anything about lovely memories. Except for playing in ice-cold weather, piles of water and dirt, and other horrible circumstances ( just the normal Swedish weather). Looking back on it now, I can see the charm in it too.

Summer tournaments were so fun, going to new places, normally sleeping in a big gym hall or a classroom. When I got a little bit older and got recruited to IF Elfsborg, then we use to go to the Netherlands every year and stay in people's homes. Stay in these houses eating together, learning about their culture and language, what a wonderful gift to give to a young person. Should probably add that the tournaments we played down there were some of the toughest games I have played. We won one year after 42 penalties ( everyone on the pitch had to shoot two times).

My team in IF Elfsborg was great and I would say that the whole youth organization was very organized and also well connected with one of the top high schools in town. I have forgotten how many leagues and tournaments we have won, worth mentioning is probably that we won Two Gothia cups golds in a row (the largest and the most international youth football tournament in the world with ~1700 teams from ~80 nations).

“The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.”

~ Pelé

Training almost every day and some of the days two times, gives you a strong foundation to stand on. Going through hardship together as a team brings you a lot closer to one another. I can not count how many wonderful friends I have created by just showing up and playing some football.

When you play against the best of the best (Swedish people around my age). It can start to get extremely competitive and people started to think more about themself and their careers. That was the turning point for me, the love, passion, and fire I once had for the sport just disappeared.

I did not stop playing even if I played on a lower level and it took two-three years before I could find some peace in it. I now see it as a social gathering and a good way for me to get some sweat going!  

I don't know if this is the story I try to convince myself because I could not make it as a football player. But either way, I would not change a thing. Now I am taking with me all the positive things that come with playing. Wonderful friends, teamwork, health in all categories, a skill that can bring me together with people everywhere I go.

Thank you and I hope I can meet you on the field, in the park, or on the street passing a ball to each other.