Balogun Ismaila

Ronaldo lost his father and still chose to remain at the Portuguese camp. He survived a life-threatening car crash and went straight back to training. He lost his child and still found the strength to step onto the pitch for Manchester United. The world mocked him after Portugal’s World Cup exit, yet he returned to represent his country at the next World Cup. I watched him win the Champions League back to back to back. I watched him crash out of the World Cup in tears. Somehow, through all those moments, he took me along on his journey through life. He taught me, time and time again, that it’s never okay to give up. He makes you appreciate both the highs and the lows. He reminds you that it’s okay to cry, it’s okay to be angry, it’s okay to be sad, but it’s never okay to give up. I remember the last trophy he won with Portugal, the Nations League. When almost every odd was against him, he found a way to rise again. He reminded me, one more time, of exactly who he was. He lives life on his own terms and accepts the consequences of his decisions with his full chest. He speaks his mind, whether you agree with him or not. He walks away when he feels disrespected. He stands firm on his principles, believes in fair competition and remains loyal to those who have shown him loyalty. He came from nothing and built a legacy that will outlive him. Heavily misunderstood, but never doubted. He has been called a narcissist, an egotist and everything in between, but never a cheat. Everything he has achieved, he has earned. Every record, every trophy, every accolade. He did it on the pitch. “Ronaldo is old. He needs to retire.” “He’s slowing the team down.” “His goals are hurting the team.” And so much more. The very metrics used to celebrate others are often the same ones used to discredit him. But perhaps that’s understandable. The umbrella becomes a burden when it stops raining. That’s the legacy of this man. What I feel for Ronaldo goes far beyond football. He embodies what a role model should be. Strip away the goals, the awards, the records and the trophies, and there will still be something worth admiring. I have watched the highs, the lows, the tears, the celebrations, the criticism and the comebacks. Through it all, he has reminded me that greatness isn’t just about how high you rise, but how many times you find the strength to rise again. Thank you for being part of my story. Thank you for the memories, the lessons and for showing me what resilience looks like. That’s why he is my number one. The greatest there is, the greatest there was, and the greatest there will ever be. In this life and the next. Always. ❤️🐐👑