Jude Bellingham and the Search for Self-fulfilment
As a child, my one and only aspiration was to become a professional football player. The adrenaline rush from the bright lights of stadiums filled with thousands of screaming fans. The gratification of gaining popularity, fame, and triumph. The blissful feeling one gets from scoring a goal, especially the ultimate one at the last-minute, while the crowd roars your name with reverence. These were my lifelong aspirations and goals.
When I was a child, I used to dream of becoming a famous football player. Unfortunately, that dream was shattered when I turned 12 and my local team participated in a tournament in Barcelona to compete against Spanish teams. The first game resulted in a devastating loss of 27-0. It was during the 19th goal when I finally realized that my dream of becoming a professional footballer was unlikely to happen. With that defeat, my hopes were dashed, and my childhood fantasy came to a bitter and abrupt end.
Feeling humbled, I quickly shifted my focus to pursuing other ambitious goals, such as becoming a writer for The University Times. The idea of becoming a professional football player always appeared to be unfathomable, unrealistic, and out of reach. However, my perspective changed when I learned about Jude Bellingham.
In case you're not familiar, Jude Victor William Bellingham is a pro footballer from England who currently plays for the esteemed soccer club Real Madrid in Spain. He made the move to Real Madrid from the German team Borussia Dortmund for a whopping €103 million fee. Impressively, in his first 10 matches he scored 13 goals, surpassing a record previously held by the prolific Cristiano Ronaldo. Bellingham is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the world, and even earned a comparison to Jesus from a tipsy Spanish guy. It's worth noting that he was born on June 29, 2003.
Like Jude, I was also born in 2003, but 94 days earlier. However, unlike him, I don't have thousands of people chanting my name in the Estadio Bernabéu and I'm not being compared to spiritual beings by drunk Spanish men. Instead, I'm just me. My girlfriend actually calls me unworthy of love or affection, which makes me feel like a pathetic excuse for a man.
When I was young, I used to associate age with football. I can recall attending my cousin's 29th birthday party and realizing that he's nearing the end of his prime. People aged 36 or older were considered old and almost reaching the end of their careers like Gerrard and Giggs. However, now, I find it challenging to attend my early morning lectures when the key player of the most prominent football team worldwide is younger than me! To add, he even possesses an Irish passport.
It may seem silly, but I often find myself comparing myself to Jude Bellingham in some way. I know I could never achieve what he has at such a young age, and I accept that. But sometimes, I can't help but imagine a different life where I am in his position. He has everything I ever wanted - a successful career built on hard work, determination and natural talent. I admire him greatly, even if I cannot be him. And that's perfectly fine.
As we grow, our aspirations shift and evolve, and so do we. While I may not have become a wealthy celebrity athlete, I have accomplished more than I had once believed possible. I sometimes think back to my childhood, when I was a mischievous youngster dashing around the house, driving my parents crazy. I would playfully kick a soccer ball against my bedroom wall, wearing a jersey that was far too large for me, pretending that I was a famous player such as Messi or Ronaldo - my idols.
Although he couldn't achieve the exact qualities of his idols, I aspire him to feel content with the person he has developed into.
