Malaysia-Singapore Peace Soccer Exchange 2019

Strangers to the game of soccer may view it with some sense of ridicule and disbelief. Why do grown adults go crazy over watching other grown adults kick a ball around a patch of grass? However, aficionados of soccer will understand the universal love and passion for soccer.

To some degree, soccer can even be termed a universal language. The Brazilians, English and Germans may not understand each other’s language, but if you put 11 players of each nationality on both sides of a field with a ball at the centre line, they can communicate through the common understanding of the game of soccer. None of them will be strangers to the red and yellow cards, the offsides, the goals, the penalty kicks and the fouls that constitute the rules of the game.

Soccer also reveals people’s personalities. There are the individualistic players who hog the ball and attempt to dribble their own way to victory. There are the team players who work well together in a triangle formation to advance the ball through passes and solid rapport. There are aggressive and competitive players who will stop at nothing to win. There are the peace-loving players who remain cautious of safety and take care not to hurt others. On the pitch, everyone’s character is on display for the world to see.

Soccer is also where bonds are forged. One gets to know who is the dependable teammate who always covers the defence, the hardworking teammate who always runs after the ball, the teammate who reads your intentions and is always at the right spot at the right time, and the encouraging teammate who is always supporting you by the wing. Many times, these teammates become the same people who support you in the game of life.

There is also much to learn about the game of soccer. One learns the attitude of never giving up until the very end because even a 0-4 losing position can be reversed into a 5-4 victory. One learns never to underestimate the enemy for even the underdog can defeat the Goliath. One learns about trust, teamwork, and communication. One also learns that much of what one sees on the pitch comes from thousands of hours of effort off-pitch. As the Chinese saying goes, a minute on stage is ten years of work off stage. There are many deep truths that one can realise from the game of soccer.

Last but not least, soccer is a way to give glory to God. It is the grace of God that people from all around the world are able to bond and communicate through the common game of soccer. Soccer brings together and unites the world in the name of sport, and in the values of sportsmanship and athleticism, but all of this would not be possible without God. God gave us healthy bodies with the ability to run, jump, and sprint. He gave people talents in sports, and talents in designing the game of soccer. He blessed the world with peace, globalisation and civilisation, allowing the world to come together in harmony to play this common game. One has to be thankful to God and give glory to God, without whom, none of this would be possible.