In football, even when you do your best on the pitch, you can

The words of Gianfranco Zola, spoken from the heart of the football pitch, remind us of a timeless truth: in football, as in life, one may give their very best, and still the outcome may be uncertain. Victory and defeat, though they appear as opposites, are both bound into the very nature of the game. The player may labor with all their might, yet the ball may fall against them, the wind may shift, or fortune may shine upon the opponent. Such is the way of all contests, where effort is demanded but fate still holds sway.

The meaning of Zola’s reflection is not limited to the sport itself. He is speaking of the eternal law that governs human striving. We are called to give our full measure of effort, to pour heart and soul into our endeavors, yet we must accept that the result lies beyond our control. To understand this is to live with humility and grace. It frees us from despair in defeat and from arrogance in victory, for both are but passing states upon the field of existence.

The ancients knew this truth well. Consider the tale of the Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas and his three hundred Spartans stood against the might of Persia. They fought with unmatched courage, their discipline flawless, their valor unquestioned. Yet despite their best, the tide of numbers overcame them. Was their defeat shameful? No—it was glorious, for in giving their all, they left a legacy of courage that inspired generations to come. Here, as in football, the outcome was not solely determined by effort, but by forces beyond one’s command. Yet the effort itself became eternal.

In the world of football itself, one might recall the 1999 Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Bayern had led the match for nearly its entirety, playing with skill and control. But in the dying minutes, two sudden goals by United turned the tide. Bayern had given their best, yet still fell. Manchester, too, had given their all, but fortune smiled upon them only at the very end. This is the drama of the game, a reminder that effort is essential, yet outcomes remain uncertain until the final breath is drawn.

The lesson for us, children of tomorrow, is this: measure your life not by victory or defeat, but by the faithfulness of your effort. To labor with all your strength, to play the game honorably, to endure the struggle with dignity—this is where true worth lies. If you win, be humble; if you lose, be noble. For in either case, the spirit of your endeavor endures longer than the score upon the board.

Practically, this means embracing each task as if it were a match played before the heavens themselves. Give your best in your work, your studies, your craft, and your relationships, yet do not tie your soul to outcomes alone. Understand that failure is not the end, but a teacher, and success is not a crown, but a fleeting moment of grace. What remains eternal is the way you played the game.

Thus, let it be remembered: the nature of the game is uncertainty, but the nature of the player is effort, courage, and integrity. Walk this path, and you will know peace whether you stand in triumph or in loss. For the true victory is not in the winning, but in the unwavering will to give your best, and to do so again and again, no matter how the world answers your striving.