2010 will be a year to remember. In the South Africa FIFA worldcup, both former champions and runner-up, Italy and France respectively, are out after the group phase (shocking!) and in Wimbledon, Isner and Mahut played the longest tennis match ever. 11 hours. Give or take a few minutes. A game that spanned over three days. Three days of playing tennis, people! Where do the players get the determination to keep playing? Is there a loser?

Another epic event occurred during the USA game against Algeria. When everyone thought the USA was out of the cup, disappointing again, Landon Donovan rose from the ashes of defeat and scored a goal that in the future will probably be regarded as the turning point of how important futbol is for this country, in spite of what Glenn Beck might say.

And to end my blog post of the week, I can’t fail to mention the newest chapter in the fairy tale of Argentine striker Martin Palermo. A 36 year old player who’s biggest dream was just being part of the team. A player who was third choice after Milito and Higuain, futbol stars in Italy and Spain. Argentina was playing Greece, in a super tight game. Martin Demichelis had redeemed his mistake in the game against South Korea when he scored the first goal at minute ’77. Still, Argentina needed another goal, to breathe in peace and make an almost perfect first round campaign.
Diego Maradona, against his advisors’ counsel, gave Martin Palermo the opportunity of going into the pitch at minute ’80. Who knew that 10 minutes would be enough to re-write history, to make a whole nation cry of gratitude and emotion?
Maradona told Palermo, “Go in and leave your life.” The hero went in, gave his life, and became a Titan, just like his nickname implies. He will go down on the records of history as the oldest guy to debut in the national worldcup team and score a goal.  At minute ’89.
What does this all mean? It means that even when you think you’re at the end of the road, that your dreams were good dreams, but are just too hard to reach, that you did your best and no one can blame you for giving up, that there’s no more hope, think again. There’s always hope. You can always do a little more. Who knows? What you thought was your final scene, might be the beginning of the best story of your life.