Lionel Messi and Barcelona

Most Singaporeans love Soccer and I am of no exception.  In recent times, Spanish Soccer and Barcelona FC has grabbed the headlines of the Spanish League, but also the Champions League. The Spanish National Team are World Cup Champions, and every one seems to be in love with the “Tika-Tika” playing style which is synomonous with Barcelona.

Top Managers like Jose Mourinho  have also seemed to have lost his “Special Touch”, when he tried unsuccessfully to break the Catalan Spell, which seems to been casted magically onto the Soccer World.

It is interesting to note that the current European Champion Team is made up of young boys which grew up in the Soccer Academy. The Soccer Academy named “La Masia” can boost that they supply 17 out of the 25 first team members of the current Barcelona Squad. This is one Impressive factory!

Trained in the ways of “Tika-Tika”. the young boys play and move the ball, until it becomes 2nd nature to their play.

As you watch this 60 minutes video, it is really interesting to note the culture at Nou Camp, which makes the Kallang Roar pale in comparison. Boosting of World Player of the year Lionel Messi, this is one team, that makes everyone sit up and wonder, “Who can actually beat them?” Amazing right!

After watching the video, one realizes the power of nurturing. These boys were able to develop into great players as they were put in the right environment and educated with the right mental attitudes. Their dedication to their craft, together with the encouragement from the right coaches, ensured a high success rate.

As Parents, if we want to see confident children, we definitely need to be willing to invest time and energy into their growing up years. We may not have a Lionel Messi in the house, but with good parental love and encouragement, we can help them better navigate the perils of life!