I was reading about a famous soccer player pretending he was ill so he would miss an international friendly recently. He was then not selected for the team's recent encounter as a punishment.
It made me think about how rediculous the game has become especially because of all the money involved nowadays. There was a day when to get called up to the National team and put on your country's colours was the highest honour in the sport and to me that seems appropriate.
It brought to my recolletion a personal story that I experienced in Romania a couple of years ago. I was with the good people of Hope for the Nations/Romania and they had just completed a home makeover for a family in a tiny rural village near Brasov. The family was living in a converted slaughter house on the edge of town. The house was one room with a tiny window and a lean too shed outside where the older kids would sleep if the weather permitted. I was invted in to see the completed project by this overwhelmingly thankful family and I noticed a faded photo on the mantle. I noticed that it was a photo of the Romanian National soccer team. In the photo was the man of the house who had once played for his county. I couldn't help but think that if he had played for a team nowaday's he would be living in the lap of luxury but there he was in his very difficult situation, wife and 4 or 5 kids in one room. This mans proud face lit up as he acknowledged his former achievemnes in the National Team. He had played for his country for pride and how refreshing it was to behold.
