I have told you about how I acquired my dream house and how I became involved in advocacy. But today’s blog is about who and what inspired me to watch the beautiful game. For Americans, it is known as soccer, and for those around the world, Football, because it is played with the feet, is why it is called football. Behave, you Americans. I will talk about a player whom I watched and fell in love with, and a team that I watched for the first time, and loved their style, crest, fans, and the overall team’s structure. So, let’s talk about it.
First Talk About The Team:
I still remember that day, when I sat with my father, and he was switching TV channels, and he stopped on a sports channel, where a match was airing live in 2005. The match was between Liverpool FC vs. AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League final. We both watched the whole match, and at halftime, AC Milan was leading the final by 0-3. My father told me that this AC Milan side is mind-blowing, and at that time, I didn’t know anything about football, so I just looked at him and nodded. He told me all the player names and told me they are all world-class players. Meanwhile, Liverpool was inconsistent and only had a few world-class players.
After the halftime, in the 2nd half, Liverpool came roaring, and they dominated the 2nd half. Surprisingly, they equaled the score and made it 3-3. Through the 2nd half, my brothers even came and sat with us to watch the game. And when Liverpool scored the 3rd goal, it was a pin-drop silent in our room. We were all just amazed and surprised. We didn’t spoke a single word, and from that moment, I fell in love with Liverpool FC.
They didn’t lose their appetite to win after going 3 goals down in the first half. They showed courage and fought to score 3 goals, and they even knew that if they scored 2 goals in the 2nd half and early, then this world-class AC Milan side could also come under pressure. Their game plan worked, and AC Milan came under pressure. Liverpool went on to lift their 5th Champions League, after defeating AC Milan on penalties. I fell in love with the team, from that day to this day, Liverpool has been my love in sports.
The Time I Traveled To Liverpool:
After watching the final, even my father was impressed by this football club. I continued watching them afterwards as well. My father saw this and told me that one day, we’ll travel to this amazing city and watch a game live at Anfield. As I told you before, I didn’t knew about football a lot, but Liverpool FC changed that, and when I started watching this beautiful game, I realized what I had missed. First, I was into cricket, because in our country it was the most-watched sport. Yes, where was I?
One day, out of nowhere, my father came home with passports in his hands and visas to England. And told us to pack, we will leave the country in 3 days. My mother at first was worried, but then got excited as we were. But we were excited from the first day. We landed at Heathrow Airport, London. We stayed one day in London to rest at a local hotel. Then the next day, we traveled to Liverpool by renting a car. My father had some friends living in London, so they rented us their car.
We arrived in Liverpool after 4 hours of travel. Look, I was 8 years old, my energy levels were high, but my father’s weren’t. He was tired and didn’t have any time to see the beautiful city of Liverpool. He drove straight to the hotel and then went to sleep in the room. We also then slept.
Continuing The Story:
Sorry, that was getting longer. Yes, we slept. Then the next day, we traveled through the city, went to the famous Royal Albert Dock. This dock was important for Liverpool, through this dock, the United Kingdom got a lot of money through trade. But it declined commercially due to the development of the Manchester Ship Canal. The history between Liverpool and Manchester is a long-standing rivalry. I will talk about that in some other blog. Today is about Liverpool. We also went to the Maritime Museum and Tate Liverpool.
We also had a tour of Everton’s stadium, Goodison Park, the other half of the team in Liverpool. The reds and the blues. Then it was time to visit the best stadium in the world, Anfield. Yes, I am biased. The match was held between Liverpool and Reading in the Carling Cup.
The atmosphere was fantastic, and the fans started with the famous anthem of You’ll Never Walk Alone (YNWA). They cheered, and I also cheered with them at every ball win and goal score. We were so happy and ecstatic. Liverpool won the match 4-3. It was a high-scoring match; they made the match more special as well.
Now It’s Time For The Player:
In the intro, I told you that a player was also the reason I started watching football. I think it was obvious, if it wasn’t, then the player is called Steven Gerrard. The best midfielder of all time, I am biased here as well, my blog, my rules. Steven Gerrard was just magic. When he passed the ball, it was magic; when he scored thunderbolts, it was magic, and when he didn’t leave Liverpool even after Chelsea tried to buy him and lure him away with big wages and a chance for winning silverware, he didn’t leave; that was also magic. The love he had for Liverpool was immense. He chose Liverpool over anything else.
That is why he is considered a legend of this club, and his legacy will never be forgotten. Unlike Trent’s (The Snake). Best player ever to play for Liverpool FC, even in the times when Liverpool as a club was struggling and wasn’t winning any trophies. He stayed loyal and never questioned anything.
He is the one who inspired me to watch football, and even by watching him, I learnt how to play football, improved my passing, and scoring ability as well. Not like the thunderbolts he scored. But I tried to score as many goals as he scored. Never reached it, that’s another story.
Football As a Teacher:
Football has taught me valuable life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience. I saw how players communicate with each other on the pitch and overcome challenges that are put ahead of them. This sport taught me to be confident, taught me to have leadership abilities, and respect for rules and opponents. That is why this game is called The Beautiful Game.
Conclusion:
Football became more than a sport for me. It became a memory I share with my father, a city I fell in love with, a team that shaped my passion, and a player who inspired the way I think about loyalty and leadership. Liverpool, Anfield, Steven Gerrard, and the journey that started in 2005 turned football into a part of my identity. And even today, every match reminds me why this beautiful game has stayed with me from childhood to now.
FAQs:
1. What made me fall in love with Liverpool FC?
Watching their historic 2005 Champions League comeback.
2. Who inspired me to watch football?
Steven Gerrard and his loyalty to Liverpool.
3. What was my first live match at Anfield?
Liverpool vs Reading in the Carling Cup.
4. Why did the 2005 final matter so much?
It showed fight, belief, and the spirit of Liverpool.
5. What did football teach me growing up?
Teamwork, discipline, confidence, and resilience.
6. Why does Liverpool feel personal to me?
Because it connects my childhood, family, and passion for the game.
