However you describe it, elite sportsmen and women seek glory.
Yes, they want to perform to the highest level they can possibly achieve, but the bottom line is always that they want to win. Success is what many strive after, but only a few consistently achieve it.
So while many professional footballers will make a career in their sport, only the elite will lift trophies. Some, only once. A few, many times over the years.
And possibly the only thing that carries a similar status and sense of achievement is playing for one’s country – being selected is a true honour that shows just how far you have come. Once selected, of course, the dream is then to win a major tournament – AFCON, The Asian Cup, The Euros or even (whisper it quietly) the World Cup itself.
Yet there are many hugely talented players who never won a trophy. And some who were never selected for their country, for all sorts of reasons. Some squandered their talent, others were part of a ‘golden generation’ where competition for places was particularly fierce, others maybe lacked the motivation.
With all the rewards on offer at football’s elite level, motivation is a big topic to consider – and it came to mind again for me, watching this month’s enthralling AFCON tournament unfold.
One of the delights has been seeing unfancied nations come to the fore – players achieving a level many might not have predicted, causing upsets and seeing some of the African ‘giants’ humbled.
Cape Verde, Mauritania, Angola, Burkina Faso, Namibia, DRC and Guinea have all flourished – and while yes some have hugely talented individuals, all have played well as a team. Coaches have drilled their players so each knows his job, and they have been inspired to play with heart and passion, helping them overcome sides they were not expected to beat.
And I wondered, watching some games unfold where ‘big’ teams struggled, whether a few players’ motivation was a little more for their own achievements than the success of their team?
It’s no secret that AFCON is a huge shop window – scouts from Europe and across the world are watching, looking to spot talent for the Premier League in England, Serie A, La Liga and the Bundesliga.
Many players will be hoping that good performances seen by millions will give their careers a turbo boost, maybe winning them a lucrative move not just to a bigger club, but a whole new financial level.
It might explain why some sides have looked disjointed – less of a team than a collection of individuals. And we all know that a team who plays for one another and the good of the team often overcomes a more talented side who do not have the same mindset.
There’s a verse in the Bible where the apostle Paul is addressing division within the church, and he says “… God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12: 24-26)
The team where every player backs his teammates, regardless of his own ambitions, will be the one that rides through tough times, and finds a way to win.
PHOTO: Angola players celebrate their first goal in the 2-0 Round of 16 win over Burkina Faso