Chelsea

Yesterday, soccer proved once again why it is the greatest sport on earth. Soccer is the sport most like life in all its glory and disappointment, excitement and waiting, opportunities and failures. In the end, like life, soccer is all about moments.

At its home stadium in Germany, Bayern Munich played Chelsea in the Champions League Final. They were heavily favored because, well, they were playing at home and Chelsea finished 6th (!) in their own league this year. Oh, and Bayern Munich is the better team and they played like it yesterday.

And they lost. Soccer is about moments. Life is about moments.

Bayern shot almost four times more than Chelsea (35-9). They both scored one goal.

Bayern had 20 corner kicks. Chelsea had 1. Chelsea scored on a header off their only corner kick.

Bayern made 3 of 6 penalty kicks (one in overtime and five in the shootout). Chelsea made 4 of 5 penalty kicks. Both teams missed their first penalty - the difference being, Bayern's first penalty would have ended the game. Chelsea's first penalty made no difference.

Didier Drogba tied the game for Chelsea with three minutes to go. He fouled Ribbery to give Bayern what should have been the winning penalty kick. He put in the final winning penalty kick in the shootout. In just over half an hour, he went from hero to villain back to hero.

We won't remember the foul. We will remember the goals.Those are the moments that will define his life. Those are the moments that define us all.

Champions League 2011-2012

the beautiful game

can be played across the earth

one ball, goals, and dreams