LIFE WITHOUT FOOTBALL
by Horizon Starwood
I miss football.
I miss the pitch. The dewey smell of the grass. The piercing sound from a ref’s whistle that can hurt your eardrums. We all know the pre-match feeling, the pounding of your heart. You’re giddy, excited and anxious all at the same time.
I also miss waking up on Saturday and Sunday mornings, ready to watch a match. My eyes are in a fixated squinting position for the next hour and a half, glued to the screen in an effort to decipher the tactics of the game, admiring the stamina of the players.
Football, to me, is more than a sport. From playing with women and men from all walks of life to the diversity of the players who play in top football leagues, it brings people together.
It is a community which can foster a culture that is open to anyone. It can create a space to talk about things bigger than football, mental health, inequality and more.
Football is a healthy distraction from the stresses of everyday life. It makes me feel connected to another part of the world, just for that hour an a half on the pitch, or watching a game.
Football is so universal, it can bring you to unexpected places and can help you meet unique individuals. Through the football community I’ve become friends with people who I would never have imagined becoming friends with because of our shared love and respect for football.
I feel incomplete without football being in my life. There are no new matches to watch or play in. During this pandemic, we don’t know when our lives can go back to normal, when we will be able to lace up our boots again.
Although the future can be uncertain and scary during this chaotic time, no matter where you are in the world, football will always be there. Whether you find it in a zoom chat with your football community, rewatching old matches, getting crafty and stitching your own kit or creating an “I Miss Football” group chat, it’s there.
I miss football, but we’ll be back on the pitch soon. I’ll see you there.