Greece, 2004, Life-changing
A weirdly personal one about a game that I had absolutely no horse in, was a child for, and didn't realise the impact of until 20 years after.
Summer 2004. Greece have bullied, fought, and lucked their way to a final that no one believes they belong in. They have led for just 79 minutes out of the 480 (and a bit) minutes played. Level on points, goal difference, and head to head with Spain - they only made it out the group on goals scored. What are they doing in the final?!
Do you ever revisit a moment in time and realise just how much it has impacted your life?
I was 6 years old (6 and three quarters if you had asked me how old I was back then) when Greece did the impossible. An impressionable child who had seen his heroes all bow out, listened to all the pundits deride the Greek run, watched them ignore all the noise, break all expectations. The power of belief on full show for my developing brain to pick up.
Looking back now it was so obvious that it had sparked something in me. In the years after I would pick Panathanaikos and Olympiacos as my team on FIFA religiously. Losing against my dad every time, but always picking the controller back up and saying “one more match?”. In the back of my mind, the memory of Greece refusing to be beaten.
Now, approaching my 30s, the challenges in my life have gone beyond beating my dad on FIFA. Any time the voice of doubt or lack of belief springs up in my mind, subconsciously, in the penalty box of my brain, Angelos Charisteas rises above Costinha, holds strong over Ricardo Carvalho, and heads home from Basinas’ corner. The voice telling me I can’t do something extinguished in the same way the Estadio da Luz fell silent.
I don't want to make this all about how great and resilient I am, this isn't a job interview (although I am available for written and illustration work if you are interested). But, it is one of many examples of how this sport, insignificant in the grand scheme of things, is actually hugely important. Those 90 minutes one of the many influences on our lives, no matter how oblivious to it we are at the time, that can change the trajectory of our lives.