Rebel Love

   During my international experience I learned precious things. Since cooking my own food till get my student Visa done. During my international experience I met lots of people. People from everywhere. With some of them I spent few minutes. With others I spent precious moments which I’ll never forget. I believe that every single one has an advice to give, a thought to share and some knowledge to spread. I can’t remember all the people I had been with, but their legacy should be never forgotten. 

    Being passionate by football makes me closer to people who feels the same as I do about the sport. It is hard for me to say when my passion for football loses space to the love I feel from my team. My family thinks I’m crazy when I am watching a match. When they see me screaming with the television they ask me: “Is it a final? Why are you yelling so much at the players who can’t hear you? Have you lost your mind?” So I say: “No, its not a final. It’s just a friendly game. No points in game. ” Yeah, I confess I may take football too serious. More than I should, maybe.

    So, I graduated as a Journalist. I believe it would keep me close to the team I love. But we all know that journalists should never take a side on games. So I started to focus on football as a spectacle more than a rivalry. It worked a little bit. I still can see football in a professional way. But it's hard to detach from my beloved team. I keep on trying.
     Still during my trip, I got in touch with football fans from different countries. And the worst happened to me. It is hard to follow your own team, indeed. Hard to follow the daily news about players. When I though my passion was controlled, now I must deal with a divided heart. What before was completely red, black and white now got a new red and white tone. Not the same red that represents São Paulo’s passion. Not even the same white that represents São Paulo’s glories. Now it’s a colchonero red and white. I was not looking for a new passion, but this passion came straight on my direction. And it was unavoidable not to fell in love with it.
   Where does it come from? Influence, probably. Besides, hatred from Madrid's popular team, the almighty Real Madrid. Always considered as the best team in the world, trophies and more trophies, money and more money, the richest part of Madrid, the Galactic. It always sounded awfully phony for me. My biggest colchonero friend once told me: “Bro, I need to tell you something really important, pay attention:  When you choose Atleti, you are not making a simple choice. Its not easy to grow up in a town influenced by Real Madrid. Among my classmates, most of the times I was the single atleticano. Maybe one or two more, but we were always minority. You know why? Because we are the rebels. We came from a different education, we have different traditions, we are proud of it. So, please, honor our colors.”
    Those words kept me on thinking about this passion. Coincidence or not Atletico de Madrid was facing its best moment In years. World’s attention was focused on Cholo Simeone's squad at that moment. I wondered If that was true love or enthusiasm. The answer was clear: May, 24th, 2014. Lisbon, Portugal, Light Stadium. Football's second largest event was taking place and Atletico was involved. On the other side the biggest rival, a trick from destiny. Time for glory or time to reset and carry on. Real Madrid was there due to it's fabulous campaign. So was Atletico, but, during the competition, Atletico faced a hardest rival. Harder than any enemy Real had ever faced: distrust. And Atleti beat them all majestically till the final.
    About the game there is not much left to say besides all the bravery and commitment shown by our boys. All the fourteen rojiblancos who went to that field and gave their best will be always remembered. Doesn’t matter if the trophy didn’t came. Remarkable moments of glory were conquered and all the supporters are more than proud of our team.
     Personally I must say that this May, 24, 2014 was the day of my higher achievement. The day that was clear for me that a passion developed to a great love and since now better times are coming. We don’t have to face distrust anymore because next year they will fear us. And If they doubt our abilities they must be prepared because there will be no mercy. After all, that’s what rebels does. We fight and we are never beaten.