Self-Belief
A volley made in France
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Dear Bolu,
When it comes to him I think no, don’t volley it from there, take a touch or two…but such is the confidence of this player, and even when he’s hardly had a sniff…what about that for a connection…what a volley…what a moment in this World Cup Final. Incredible!
That was the commentary that followed France’s first equalizer in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final match against Argentina. To level the score at 2-2, Kylian Mbappe received a lobbed pass from a teammate and hit a one-time volley beyond the goalie into the back of the net. In the clip and even from the commentary, it’s clear that he had enough time to control the ball, move a bit closer to the goal and take a shot. That was the safer and arguably better choice, but Mbappe disregarded it. The moment he saw the pass, he shaped up to take the volley and what followed was one of the best moments of the tournament.
The way he scored the goal surprised both me and the commentator. I could only exclaim, “the audacity!” To do that on a stage that grand and with stakes that high was incredible. “He didn’t have to do that”, I kept saying to myself, and truly, he didn’t. But he did, and he struck fear into the hearts of anxious Argentines and half the footballing world. The commentator called it confidence but I call it belief, and it makes me wonder.
How much belief do you have in yourself? If you had a blue jersey on with the number 10 printed on the back just below your name and you got that lobbed pass, would you take a touch before shooting or would you, like Mbappe, hit the ball on the volley? Do you think you could pull it off? It needn’t be football, in fact. In doing all the things you love, do you have the self-belief to attempt such a move? If you don’t, try to find it and make sure it isn’t blind—put in the work. Consistently practise those volleys before the final and you’ll find that you’re also capable of incredible moments. We should all be believers in ourselves, dear friend, and the world would be better for it.
Fin.
P.S.
There’s a common phrase on social media that reads like, “Explain this in football terms”. It’s used to seek an interpretation of certain news using football jargon, and it’s interesting to observe the interpretations people generate. Explaining a coup d'état or a failed marriage proposal in football terms, for instance, might have your creative juices flowing and yield intriguing descriptions. It’s fun. It’s also a reminder that football—and indeed, any sport—has everything to teach us. There’s hardly any life lesson that you can’t pick from sports, which is why we should participate in it, engage with it, and protect it.
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Write you soon, merci!
- Wolemercy
Brilliant Piece! That was a fantastic goal from mbappe.
Beautiful work!!! Thank you.
And I like the idea of explaining everyday events with sports terms. It's brilliant.