The Football Break and Coronavirus: What Are We To Do?

It has been just over a month since the coronavirus forced the world to take a football break.

And I’m bored, tired and frustrated among a few other choice adjectives.

I mean, I always suspected I was addicted to football.

Now, I know that there is no single difference between a cocaine addict and myself.

Well, except the fact that my addiction won’t send me to dance Soapy in KiriKiri.

It’s no longer news that the football world is on a break due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Today, there are over a million confirmed cases worldwide with many more to come once testing becomes commonplace.

Elite football has been shut down since early March.

As at the time of writing this, there is no exact return date in mind.

La Liga is on pause. EPL is on pause.

You can’t even watch the farmers in France drop their hoes and focus on their side hustles.

Yesterday, I played the UCL anthem for two straight hours just to feel something.

The problem is that as a result of the coronavirus, the football break may go on for a long time.

Sadly, my friend, you may have to get used to life without the round leather game for a while.

Everything is different. No more hustle to pay overpriced DSTV subscriptions every month.

Your neighbours will finally have some peace because you and your friends are not cursing Perreira, Lingard or Mustafi at the top of your voices.

You now have to spend time with your family on weekends because there is no football.

Also, you have to read those dreadful 5G WhatsApp broadcast messages from your mother now.

The worst part is that there is no sports betting anymore. No money to be made, no entertainment to be had.

How am I coping with the football break and Coronavirus?

Just like many, due to the Coronavirus and the break, I now sleep with a football cuddled up to me.

Oh, that’s just me? Let me try again.

Well, just like many others, I have planted a small patch of grass by my bedside — only to remember what football smell likes.

Oh, that’s just me again? Damn, I have a problem.

Okay, third time’s the charm. Just like many, I have taken to consuming all forms of football media.

Articles, videos, rebroadcast of old matches, interviews, Instagram lives, YouTube compilations.

Just like you have been doing? Great.

Anyways, I know so much about football now, you would be surprised. Guardiola vs Klopp combined ain’t got nothing on me.

That’s why I know that if you are panicking that football will never return, you are wrong. This is not the first time football has stopped for the world.

In the next section, I will discuss the many occasions sports and football took a backseat.

The football break and Coronavirus: Is this the first time?

Coronavirus may have forced football to take a break for the first time in your lifetime.

However, other sad events have forced us to remember that there is more to life than the beautiful game.

World War II

I mean, duh? Did you really think niggas was fighting in battle while others were trying to score at Stretford End?

During the Second World War, football walked alone so much that Liverpool didn’t have enough players to make up a starting XI.

A good number of players signed up to fight in the war.

In fact, during this period Old Trafford was requisitioned by Her Majesty’s military to be used as a depot (Told you I know so much about football now).

Olympics cancelled during the two World Wars

According to history books, the two world wars started because the Olympics could not be held.

When nations realized that a friendly event that had been in existence since the days of the Roman emperor Nero could not unite them, they went to the war.

True story 🌚🌚.

Okay, that may be a stretch.

But the simple truth is that the 1916 Summer Olympics didn’t hold due to WWI.

On the other hand, the Summer Olympics of 1940 and 1944 were also cancelled due to WWII.

So, get your head out of your ass. The coronavirus may have caused football to take a break. But football will be back.

Wash your hands, practice social distancing and wait for the curve to flatten.

If you are really curious, you can read our article on the different types of midfielders and make the right tweaks to your Football Manager ‘20 team.

What I have learned from the Coronavirus football break

If you think you are about to read something philosophical about Coronavirus and the football break, you might as well stop now.

There is no philosophy in my head. Just football and vibes!

Below is a list of the top cool/weird football facts I have learned in the past few weeks since the Coronavirus footbreak:

• • • Before Sir Alex Ferguson started coaching Manchester United, Aston Villa were more successful than United. This one is for Man U fans that love to form “footballing elite.”
    • Former Inter defender Giuseppe Bergomi played in four different World Cups but didn’t play a single qualification match. Favour >> Labour.
    • Real Madrid’s senior team beat Real Madrid Castilla (B Team) in the final of the 1980 Copa Del Rey. Yep, both teams actually made it to the finals.
    • Mathieu Flamini is a billionaire? You can read all about his rise to mula in this insightful piece by 90Min.
    • Remember how Germany decimated Brazil 7-1 at the 2014 World Cup semifinals? Well, Brazil had more shots (18-14), shots on target (13-12) and ball possession (52-48) in that match. So, wtf happened?
    • Mario Balotelli only has a single Premier League assist. It was for this one — “Aguerooooooooooooo! Staggering, just staggering!”
    • Iniesta scored 35 league goals during his time in Spain. John Terry scored 41 in the EPL.

Thank you for taking the time to read this to the end. I know you are bored and have nothing else to do, but it means a lot.

If you loved reading about my football break and Coronavirus chronicles, please feel free to share using the buttons below.

Alternatively, you can check out our most-read article. This one has over 2,000 views.

I would also love to read about your experience without football in the comments section.

Affection and Illumination, x.

P.S: Every image in this blog post is the celebration of an iconic moment from the past few World Cups. Look at them again. Stay safe, compadres. And do the five!