[Reading level: C1 – Advanced]
So, Cristiano Ronaldo has officially come to the end of his World Cup journey after Portugal’s defeat to Spain.
Some people smiled. Some took satisfaction in seeing a player they had never liked finally accept defeat.
But many others fell silent when they saw Ronaldo in tears. Not only because Portugal had been eliminated, but because everyone understood that the greatest dream of his career—lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy—had finally come to an end.
As for me, when I watched that moment, the first thing that came to mind was not victory or defeat. I realized two things. First, time spares no one. Second, I myself have already lived through more than a third of my life.
I was born in 1992. Ronaldo was born in 1985, which means he is seven years older than me. Almost my entire youth has been intertwined with his journey.
When I was in middle school, Ronaldo was the young winger dazzling everyone in a Manchester United shirt with his blistering pace and mesmerizing stepovers. By the time I reached high school and then entered university, he had also entered the greatest period of his career. From around 2007 to 2018, the football world revolved around just two names: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
It is hard to explain to those born after 2010 just how special that era really was.
Every season felt like another chapter in the greatest rivalry football has ever witnessed. Two players. Two completely different styles. Two completely different personalities. Yet they constantly pushed each other to heights no one had ever reached before. Fans were divided into two camps. Cafés, football pitches, schools, and online forums were filled with endless debates about who was the better player. Ronaldo or Messi was no longer just a football discussion—it became part of an entire generation’s memories.
Ronaldo won over football fans in his own unique way.
There were those explosive runs down the wings in a Manchester United shirt, when Ronaldo’s endless stepovers left defenders frozen, unsure whether to charge in for a tackle or retreat and defend. Then there was his legendary “knuckleball” free kick against Arsenal in the 2009 UEFA Champions League semi-final, struck from more than thirty metres out. The ball travelled through the air with almost no spin, swerving unpredictably before crashing into the back of the net, leaving the Emirates Stadium stunned for a split second before Manchester United supporters erupted in celebration.
Then came the move to Real Madrid, where he turned the UEFA Champions League into his own stage.
People will always remember his opening volley in the 2017 Champions League final against Juventus. But perhaps the most iconic moment was his breathtaking bicycle kick against the very same Juventus in Turin during the 2018 quarter-finals. It was such an extraordinary goal that tens of thousands of Juventus supporters rose to their feet and applauded the man who had just scored against their own team. In football, there is no greater sign of respect for an opponent.
Then came the 2018–19 season. Juventus had lost 2–0 to Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, and very few believed they could come back. Ronaldo simply walked onto the pitch for the second leg and scored a hat-trick. Three goals. A performance worthy of a player born for the biggest occasions.
At international level, UEFA EURO 2016 also became an unforgettable chapter of his career.
He was forced off early in the final with an injury. But instead of sitting helplessly on the bench, Ronaldo spent the rest of the match standing on the touchline, shouting himself hoarse as he encouraged and guided his teammates. When Eder scored the winning goal against France in the 109th minute, Ronaldo burst into tears. After so many years of waiting, he had finally won a major trophy with Portugal.
At his peak, Ronaldo seemed like a machine that never grew tired.
Scoring more than fifty goals a season became almost routine. Five Ballon d’Or awards. Five Champions League titles. The all-time leading goalscorer in Champions League history. One seemingly impossible record after another fell before him.
But eventually, time quietly did what it has always done. It took away his speed. It took away the dribbles that once brought entire stadiums to their feet. It took away the incredible leap that seemed to defy gravity.
Ronaldo continued to train with extraordinary discipline. He continued to care for his body like a man in his twenties. He continued to fight with the same burning desire to win.
But elite football is unforgiving. Sometimes, being just half a second slower than your opponent is enough for everything to change.
And then I realized that this was never just Ronaldo’s story. One day, every athlete will stop running as fast as they once did. Every artist will eventually stop creating masterpieces. Every entrepreneur will no longer have the energy to work 14 hours a day.
Our parents grow old. Our children grow up. And somehow, we ourselves quietly pass our thirties before we even notice.
Cristiano Ronaldo has never been a perfect man. He has always had an enormous ego. At times he has been too selfish. At times he has been obsessed with goals and records.
His confidence has often been seen as arrogance, while his relentless desire to win has made him one of football’s most controversial figures.
Some people admire Ronaldo with all their hearts. Others have never liked him. But whichever side we stand on, there is one thing that is impossible to deny. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen.
He leaves behind not only remarkable trophies and seemingly impossible records.
More importantly, he inspired millions to believe that talent may help you begin the journey, but only discipline, determination, and relentless hard work can keep you at the very top for nearly two decades.
Perhaps that is why, when I saw Ronaldo in tears, I did not simply see a football legend saying goodbye to his World Cup dream. I saw my own youth. Those nights staying awake until three or four in the morning to watch the Champions League. Those endless debates over whether Ronaldo or Messi was the better player. Those unforgettable summers filled with the excitement of the European Championship and the World Cup.
It all feels as if it happened only yesterday. Yet today, Ronaldo has grown old. And perhaps… so have we.
WORD BANK:
officially /əˈfɪʃ.əl.i/ [B1] (adv): một cách chính thức
come to the end /kʌm tə ði end/ (v): đi đến hồi kết
defeat to sb /dɪˈfiːt tə/ [B2] (n): thất bại trước ai
eliminate /ɪˈlɪm.ə.neɪt/ [B2] (v): loại, loại khỏi cuộc thi
trophy /ˈtroʊ.fi/ [B1] (n): cúp, danh hiệu
spare no one /sper noʊ wʌn/ (v): không chừa một ai
intertwined with sth /ˌɪn.tɚˈtwaɪnd wɪð/ (adj): gắn bó, đan xen với cái gì
winger /ˈwɪŋ.ɚ/ [B2] (n): cầu thủ chạy cánh
dazzling /ˈdæz.lɪŋ/ [C1] (adj): rực rỡ, làm say mê
blistering /ˈblɪs.tɚ.ɪŋ/ (adj): cực nhanh, như xé gió
pace /peɪs/ [B2] (n): tốc độ
mesmerizing /ˈmez.mɚ.aɪ.zɪŋ/ (adj): mê hoặc
stepover /ˈstepˌoʊ.vɚ/ (n): động tác đảo chân
revolve around sb/sth /rɪˈvɑːlv/ [C1] (v): xoay quanh ai/cái gì
rivalry /ˈraɪ.vəl.ri/ [B2] (n): sự cạnh tranh, kỳ phùng địch thủ
witness /ˈwɪt.nəs/ [B2] (v): chứng kiến
constantly /ˈkɑːn.stənt.li/ [B2] (adv): liên tục
camp /kæmp/ (n): chiến tuyến, phe phái
football pitch /ˈfʊt.bɔːl pɪtʃ/ (n): sân bóng đá
endless /ˈend.ləs/ [B2] (adj): bất tận, không ngừng
explosive run /ɪkˈsploʊ.sɪv rʌn/ (n): pha bứt tốc mạnh mẽ
defender /dɪˈfen.dɚ/ [B1] (n): hậu vệ
leave sb frozen /liːv ˌsʌm.bɑː.di ˈfroʊ.zən/ (v): khiến ai đứng chôn chân
charge in for a tackle /tʃɑːrdʒ ɪn fər ə ˈtæk.əl/ (v): lao vào tranh bóng
retreat /rɪˈtriːt/ [C1] (v): lùi lại
legendary /ˈledʒ.ən.der.i/ [B2] (adj): huyền thoại
free kick /ˌfriː ˈkɪk/ (n): cú đá phạt
strike (the ball) /straɪk/ [B2] (v): sút bóng
spin /spɪn/ [B2] (n): độ xoáy
swerve /swɝːv/ (v): đổi hướng, lượn
unpredictably /ˌʌn.prɪˈdɪk.tə.bli/ (adv): một cách khó lường
crash into the net /kræʃ ˈɪn.tə ðə net/ (v): găm thẳng vào lưới
stun sb /stʌn/ [C1] (v): khiến ai chết lặng, sửng sốt
for a split second /fɔːr ə splɪt ˈsek.ənd/ (adv): trong khoảnh khắc ngắn ngủi
erupt /ɪˈrʌpt/ [C1] (v): bùng nổ
volley /ˈvɑː.li/ (n): cú vô-lê
iconic /aɪˈkɑː.nɪk/ [B2] (adj): mang tính biểu tượng
breathtaking /ˈbreθˌteɪ.kɪŋ/ [B2] (adj): ngoạn mục, đẹp đến nghẹt thở
bicycle kick /ˈbaɪ.sɪ.kəl kɪk/ (n): cú xe đạp chổng ngược
extraordinary /ɪkˈstrɔːr.dən.er.i/ [B2] (adj): phi thường
applaud /əˈplɔːd/ [B2] (v): vỗ tay tán thưởng
the first leg /ðə fɝːst leɡ/ (n): trận lượt đi
the second leg /ðə ˈsek.ənd leɡ/ (n): trận lượt về
round of 16 /raʊnd əv sɪkˈstiːn/ (n): vòng 1/8
force sb off /fɔːrs ˌsʌm.bɑː.di ɔːf/ (v): buộc ai phải rời sân
helplessly /ˈhelp.ləs.li/ (adv): một cách bất lực
the bench /ðə bentʃ/ (n): băng ghế dự bị
touchline /ˈtʌtʃ.laɪn/ (n): đường biên dọc
hoarse /hɔːrs/ (adj): khản giọng
Ballon d’Or /ˌbæl.ɑːn ˈdɔːr/ (n): Quả bóng Vàng
title /ˈtaɪ.t̬əl/ [B1] (n): chức vô địch
dribble /ˈdrɪb.əl/ [B2] (v): rê bóng
bring sb to their feet /brɪŋ ˌsʌm.bɑː.di tə ðer fiːt/ (v): khiến khán giả đồng loạt đứng dậy
leap /liːp/ [C1] (n): cú bật nhảy
defy gravity /dɪˈfaɪ ˈɡræv.ə.t̬i/ (v): thách thức trọng lực
burning desire (to do sth) /ˌbɝː.nɪŋ dɪˈzaɪ.ɚ/ (n): khát khao mãnh liệt (làm gì)
elite /ɪˈliːt/ [C1] (adj): đỉnh cao, ưu tú
unforgiving /ˌʌn.fɚˈɡɪv.ɪŋ/ (adj): khắc nghiệt, không khoan nhượng
masterpiece /ˈmæs.tɚ.piːs/ [B2] (n): kiệt tác
entrepreneur /ˌɑːn.trə.prəˈnɝː/ [B2] (n): doanh nhân
before we even notice /bɪˈfɔːr wi ˈiː.vən ˈnoʊ.t̬ɪs/ (adv): trước khi chúng ta kịp nhận ra
enormous ego /ɪˈnɔːr.məs ˈiː.ɡoʊ/ (n): cái tôi rất lớn
obsessed with sth /əbˈsest wɪð/ [B2] (adj): ám ảnh với cái gì
arrogance /ˈer.ə.ɡəns/ [C1] (n): sự kiêu ngạo
relentless /rɪˈlent.ləs/ [C1] (adj): không ngừng nghỉ, bền bỉ
controversial /ˌkɑːn.trəˈvɝː.ʃəl/ [B2] (adj): gây tranh cãi
figure /ˈfɪɡ.jɚ/ [B2] (n): nhân vật
determination /dɪˌtɝː.məˈneɪ.ʃən/ [B2] (n): sự quyết tâm
ỦNG HỘ READ TO LEAD!
Chào bạn! Có thể bạn chưa biết, Read to Lead là một trang giáo dục phi lợi nhuận với mục đích góp phần phát triển cộng đồng người học tiếng Anh tại Việt Nam. Chúng tôi không yêu cầu người đọc phải trả bất kỳ chi phí nào để sử dụng các sản phẩm của mình để mọi người đều có cơ hội học tập tốt hơn. Tuy nhiên, nếu bạn có thể, chúng tôi mong nhận được sự hỗ trợ tài chính từ bạn để duy trì hoạt động của trang và phát triển các sản phẩm mới.
Bạn có thể ủng hộ chúng tôi qua 1 trong 2 cách dưới đây.
– Cách 1: Chuyển tiền qua tài khoản Momo.
Số điện thoại 0947.886.865 (Chủ tài khoản: Nguyễn Tiến Trung)
Nội dung chuyển tiền: Ủng hộ Read to Lead
hoặc
– Cách 2: Chuyển tiền qua tài khoản ngân hàng.
Ngân hàng VIB chi nhánh Hải Phòng
Số tài khoản: 012704060048394 (Chủ tài khoản: Nguyễn Tiến Trung)
Nội dung chuyển tiền: Ủng hộ Read to Lead
Lớp luyện thi IELTS online
Bạn đang có nhu cầu thi chứng chỉ IELTS cho đầu vào đại học, đi du học, xin việc hay xin cư trú và đang phân vân chưa biết học ở đâu?
Nếu bạn đang tìm kiếm dịch vụ luyện thi IELTS online với giáo viên uy tín và chất lượng, cũng như học phí phải chăng, thì thầy Trung và Cô Thủy (Admin và dịch giả chính của Read to Lead) có thể là một lựa chọn phù hợp dành cho bạn.
Hãy liên hệ (nhắn tin) tới trang Facebook cá nhân của mình (https://www.facebook.com/nguyen.trung.509) để tìm hiểu về lớp học và được tư vấn cũng như được học thử nha!
