What Happened with Soccer?

What happened with those moments filled with passion and energy when someone scored a goal? Or your team was dominating their rival on the field and every pass, every tackle, and every ball played gave you goosebumps and your heart raced at the same pace of your favorite winger down the lane?

What happened with those players that preferred to show their team badge before the name behind their shirt?

What happened with those stars that were famous because of their goals, or dribbling abilities, or magic on the field; instead of their haircut, or their social media posts, or their actions off of the field?

What happened with those rivalries that a long time ago made you wish all week long for the game to start and that made you fight with your friends about whose team was playing better, or had more dominance, or had the best way of winning?

What happened with those games that made you beg your parents for a shirt of Zidane or Rivaldo or Cantona or Riquelme? What happened to those moments in your memory that made you want to put on your cleats, wear your team's shirt, and feel like one more of the starting lineup?

What happened with those experts that would wait until the player had been playing like a God for several years before they could be considered as superstars? Why do we now believe that after a half season playing well, some players are worth millions and millions and millions?

What happened with those players that only enjoyed life when they were on the field, giving it all for the fans cheering them up? Why do the players now prefer to show their latest tattoo like if it was a World Cup gold medal? Or are more interested in posting everything they do in their day rather than training and improving their skills?

What happened to soccer?

It is depressing to see little kids nowadays preferring to have the same haircuts or the same cleats or the same freekick stance as their idol rather than learning how to get to be a pro.

The dream has changed.

Now the players prefer to have more money rather than trophies.

Now they prefer to play in an unknown league to get more money rather than to be in a competitive league that could allow them to improve in order to be in their country's national team.

Now the dream is looking like a God off of the field; I guess that now that soccer is a business, we will have to adapt to that.

Say goodbye to the days in which the Gods were inside the field and their magic left you fascinated.

Remember them every time you step on the field and realize that no money in the world can give you the same feeling that you get when the ball moves towards you.