BackPLAY THINGS: Generosity is the name of the game
Footballers are usually known for their brash lifestyle. But, some do a few good things along the way
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Footballers are usually known for their rather extravagant lifestyles, at least the ones who play for top clubs, earn massive wages and rake in some moolah from endorsement deals too. They are seen driving around in expensive sports cars, downing a few drinks at nightclubs, and in some cases, having a bit of a brawl as well on the sidewalk while exiting the club in the wee hours of the morning.
However, it would be very wrong to paint all modern day footballers with that image. And it would be a fallacy to paint them as heavy spending villains all the time. Because there are some truly generous souls among the fraternity, who have done a lot of charity work in the recent past.
The most recent example is that of Mesut Ozil. The German star, prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, had supported various medical operations and surgeries of 11 lesser privileged children in the host country, Brazil. Having played a major part in Germany’s world cup victory, Ozil took his charitable intentions even further. This post on his Facebook page said it all, “Prior to the #WorldCup I supported the surgery of eleven sick children. Since the victory of the #WorldCup is not only due to eleven players but to our whole team, I will now raise the number to 23."
It is believed that members of Joachim Low’s victorious squad have received bonuses up to 300,000 euros,each.
This got us thinking – who are the other examples of such generosity? Luckily for humanity, football currently has quite a few of them. Here are some of those who are not only focusing on the game they are currently playing, but also taking time out from the constant touring and sometimes back to back games, to make an honest difference.
Didier Drogba: Set up in 2007, the Didier Drogba Foundation attempts to provide financial and material support to improve healthcare and education infrastructure for children in Africa. The fearsome striker also donated the entire £3 million fee he received from a Pepsi endorsement to build a hospital in his native country, Ivory Coast.
Michael Essien: Another African star who does a lot of charity work is the AC Milan midfielder, Michael Essien. He has his own foundation that works in the Awutu region in Ghana, and aims to give the underprivileged access to basic amenities like healthcare equipment, libraries, public toilets and clean drinking water. Essien donates significant parts of his annual salary to the foundation.
Mario Balotelli: Then there is this man, who once set off fireworks in his bathtub, leading to a massive fire that prompted the visibly annoyed fire safety officials to give him an on-the-spot lesson on fire safety. But, for all his mad antics, Super Mario has done some charitable work as well. In May 2011, he spotted a young boy hanging around Manchester City’s training grounds, and asked him why he wasn’t in school. The child explained that he was being bullied. Balotelli drove the kid to school, demanded an audience with the head teacher, and sorted out the matter with the bullies. Safe to say, that kid never got troubled again in school. Balotelli is also reported to have given £ 1000 to a homeless man he encountered on the way home from a casino.
Craig Bellamy: This Welsh footballer comes across as someone moody and brash, but Craig Bellamy has a soft side as well. He has his foundation in the war torn country of Sierra Leone. The main aim of this organization is to bring the sport of football to the children there. Bellamy has donated more than £1 million of his own money since 2007, and visits the country every summer to speak with the staff and experience the daily operations personally.
We are sure a lot more are doing their bit to help those who can do with all the assistance they can get. Also, this is a time when footballers are youngsters’ idols, but are equally seen in the media as setting the wrong examples. These footballers and their acts of generosity go a long way in restoring the faith in the concept of setting the right example.
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