A Fangirl Of Football..? | #KaranganBolaSepak
A Fangirl Of Football..? | #KaranganBolaSepak by Nadia
Football? What’s so good about it? Why are they all so obsessed with football? I hate football season the most because I’ve always got distracted by the screaming and shouting voices everywhere around me. And everytime I went out for dinner with my family, there were a lot of boy groups conquering the street stalls. I hate the fact that I won’t be able to watch television because it has been specially booked for my dad. Not to mention that, when I entered the class, my boy classmates were all talking things like ‘2-1’ or ‘4-3’ that I don’t even understand what the heck did those numbers mean?
I’ve never imagined myself involved in this football thing, until it really happened. Dad brought us one family to watch Malaysia match back in 2017, when I was form 1. It was the 29th Sea Games/ 9th Asean Para Games, in Shah Alam Stadium. Little me who knows nothing about football just followed up my dad. To be frank, I hate going to crowded places and I prefer to stay at home more. I’m a book writer. My dream is totally opposite of these football things so why would I waste my time on something that brings me no benefit? Little do I know, the habit of distancing myself from the public makes me forget the world I’m having outside. I felt like I’ve been living inside a box. Sometimes I’m curious, what’s so good about football? It’s just a 90 minutes match of scoring goals with 11 players on a team. Who scores more, wins. What makes it different to other sports? The rule of ‘who scores more win’ applied to other sports too. But why, football? That day, I went home getting nothing. I didn’t feel any joy or excitement. I didn’t understand what I was watching, who won or who lost? I got confused everytime the whistle blew. I didn’t know why people were chanting. And I felt unfamiliar with everyone, even the players on the field. Was I just wasting my time, really?
After that day, dad kept bringing us to watch a football match at Stadium. Unexpectedly I didn’t object. Maybe because of..curiosity? In 2018, dad brought us to watch the Selangor match for the first time. I was still new to this vibe. I saw everyone wearing red and it was really awkward that I didn’t wear red. But thankfully dad got us all Selangor home jerseys so I felt comfortable to be a part of them all. But I would say this honestly and true, I felt embarrassed walking home in a football jersey. Because everyone’s eyes were on me and when I went to 7Eleven, the cashier even asked me how the result was. I hate talking to strangers!
And yeah, I rarely saw girls at the Stadium. So staying around the family was the safest step for me. I found it amazing when they all chanted hardly to give support to the players. It was like, seeing a connection between the fans and the players. But I didn’t have that feeling. Just not yet.
Rufino Segovia Del Burgo. The first football player’s name that I know. And because I only know him, I remembered locking my eyes on him for 90 minutes every game of Selangor that I attended. That was how simply he became my idol. Since the first time I went to watch a football match at Stadium, I’ve never felt anything about the result. But attending one after one match, it suddenly made me concerned about the result. I felt proud when they won and somehow..I felt disappointed when they lost. I kept questioning myself, is it hard to score a goal? It is.
I still don’t understand football. Why is it so complicated? There was a day we weren’t able to go to the Stadium because of some matters. So we watched the live show at home. “It should be a penalty! This ref, aishh!” What did you say again, dad? Penalty? After that night, dad explained a lot about football whenever I asked him. And I finally understand football rules. I finally figured out what I have been watching all this time. I was excited that I could understand the game. The words that football fans understand like penalty, offsides/ onsides, first half/ second half, free kick, corner kick, fouls, the function of red or yellow card and a lot more, I know it too. If only I realized at the moment, a different feeling was growing in me. Slowly, I found myself enjoying watching football matches. I started to follow FA Selangor official instagram account to explore more about them and I took time memorizing their names.
2019, which was last year. I was form 3. I acknowledged that I was a PT3 candidate. I knew that I have to focus on study and put other things behind. But.. I’ve just started to get my interest in football, I’ve just started to accept it, enjoy it, understand it and, wanna be a part of it. I didn’t know when this feeling of addicted to football grow stronger in me. So strong that I am desperate to attend all of their matches. I wanted to chant along with them, be a supportive fan and I wanted to complete the journey with them, sharing glory moments. After 15 years living in this earth, I finally found something that I can enjoy myself with. Before involving myself in football, my life has been full of books, fanfics, media social and bored stuffs. Because I’m a student, I have to work hard to chase after my dream for my future. But I forgot. I forgot to give myself a space to rest and enjoy life.
Note from padangbolasepak.com: During the Restriction Movement Order 2020 Malaysia to combat Covid19 - Padangbolasepak.com encourages you from home to write essays about our beloved game of football. Can be anything. Why you fell in love with it? Your first game watching or playing? Friendships forged? Etc. Stars the limit.
500-1,000 / more words.
The objective is simple. Sharing the joy of football. Challenge you to write about the joy you may want to share. As well as keep you occupied and encourage to write. Provided that you have nothing else to do. Email us your essay with a photo attached at contact@padangbolasepak.com & we’ll post on the website as well on social media.
Thank you and take care brothers and sisters.