MILLIONS OF BOYS AND GIRLS ALL OVER THE WORLD HANG POSTERS WITH MESHI AND RONALDO ON THEIR WALLS. THEY REPEAT THEIR CELEBRATIONS AFTER GOALS. THEY ASK THEIR PARENTS TO BUY SHOES "LIKE NEYMAR'S." A FOOTBALLER IS MORE THAN A SPORTSMAN. HE IS A WORSHIPPER. AN ICON. A ROLE MODEL. BUT SHOULD WE ALWAYS WORSHIP THOSE WHO KICK THE BALL? AND HOW CAN WE TELL A GOOD EXAMPLE FROM A BAD ONE? LET'S FIND OUT WHY FOOTBALLERS BECOME GODS FOR MILLIONS AND WHAT RESPONSIBILITY THIS IMPLIES. WHY EXACTLY A FOOTBALLER IN THE WORLD THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PROFESSIONS. SCIENTISTS, DOCTORS, PILOTS, ASTRONAUTS. BUT WHY IS IT THAT FOOTBALLERS MORE OFTEN THAN OTHERS BECOME IDOLS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS? FIRST OF ALL, FOOTBALL IS THE MOST POPULAR GAME ON THE PLANET. IT IS WATCHED, PLAYED, TALKED ABOUT. SECONDLY, A FOOTBALLER IS A VISIBLE SUCCESS. HE RUNS, SCORES, WINS. THIS IS EVEN UNDERSTANDABLE TO A FIVE-YEAR-OLD CHILD. THIRDLY, THE CAREER OF A FOOTBALLER LOOKS LIKE A FAIRY TALE: A POOR BOY FROM THE SLUMS BECOMES A MILLIONAIRE AND A STAR. FOURTHLY, A FOOTBALLER IS ALWAYS ON SCREEN — ADVERTISEMENTS, INTERVIEWS, MAGAZINE COVERS. HIS IMAGE IS TRAITSFORMED. BUT THE MAIN THING IS EMOTIONS. A FOOTBALLER BRINGS PEOPLE JOY, THE BITTERNESS OF DEFEATS, THE EXULTATION OF VICTORIES. AND THIS EMOTIONAL CONNECTION IS STRONGER THAN ANY RATIONAL ARGUMENT. THE IDEAL IDOL: HOW HE SHOULD BE WHAT FOOTBALLER DESERVES TO BE AN IDOL FOR THE YOUTH? LET'S TRY TO DRAW A PORTRAIT. FIRST — TALENT AND HARD WORK. LEGENDS OF FOOTBALL ARE NOT BORN, THEY BECOME. MESSI INJECTED GROWTH HORMONE, RONALDO STAYED ON TRAININGS AFTER ALL. THE IDOL SHOULD SHOW THAT SUCCESS IS NOT ONLY A GIFT FROM THE GODS, BUT ALSO SWEAT, BLOOD, EARLY WAKINGS AND THOUSANDS OF HOURS ON THE FIELD. SECOND — CHARACTER. RESPECT FOR THE OPPONENT, REFEREES, FANS. THERE IS NO PLACE FOR DIRTY SLIDE TACKLES, SIMULATIONS, PROVOCATIONS. EXAMPLES: KAKA, WHO NEVER ARGUED WITH REFEREES. MIROSŁAW KLÖZÉ, WHO ADMITTED TO THE REFEREE THAT HE SCORED WITH HIS HAN ... Read more