On the basis of some extremely successful careers, it is very difficult to believe the challenges and difficulties some passed through. Perhaps, the most important lesson one can learn from their experiences is their mental toughness, optimism and resilience to every set-back. They adopt a positive mind-set refusing to succumb to distractions, indeed a champion isn’t just someone who has a smooth ride in his career path, but someone who can attain his peak again after falling (set-backs).

On the issue of setbacks, it doesn’t come any harder than a set-back which threatens to end ones career. Such was the case of this great icon:

Ronaldo de Lima; started his career on a bright note at the tender age of 16 and a year later was among the Brazilian team that won the Fifa World Cup in 1994. He moved from his native country Brazil to PSV Eindhoven in Holland the following year, and won the Dutch golden boot award in his debut season. After two years at the club, he attracted the attention of top European teams and was snapped up by Barcelona in a big-money record transfer move as a reward for his incredible form. He had such an amazing record breaking season at Barcelona where he also won the Spanish golden boot award in his debut season becoming the youngest player ever to win the Fifa World Player award at the age of 20 in his first and only season for the Spanish giants. No sooner did Inter Milan join the chase, he moved to the Italian club the next year and adapted to the league immediately where he would retain the Fifa World Player award at a bizarre age of 21.

At this time he was undoubtedly the best striker and player in the world, but then came his challenge; in 1999, he suffered a career threatening injury that kept him out of his favourite game for almost two years, he ruptured the cruciate ligament in his knee and many feared it could be the end to his blooming career. However, with the medical team came great news. ‘He still had a chance to play again!’ His enormous love, passion and enthusiasm for the game kept him determined ‘to do whatever it takes’ to play again and prevent his career from an abrupt end.Only a few coaches would have the courage to pick a player who was plagued by such a serious injury and hadn’t played competitive football for a long time to the biggest football competition at the world stage, but Felipe Scolari had faith in him.

Would this faith eventually pay off? –Ronaldo defied the odds to inspire the Brazilian team to win the World Cup, thereby becoming the top scorer in the process with an astonishing eight goals. Later that year he won the prestigious Fifa World Player award for the third time and continued what was already a successful career.

“A champion is defined by the adversity he overcomes”—Anderson Silva

The injury he suffered could have ended the football career of many, but he showed great determination and resilience to return to his peak. For overcoming so many obstacles in his career and his great recovery that returned him back to the summit of football, Ronaldo Delima is a Champion!!!

For some the hunger and desire for greatness accompanied them at birth, knowing this young athlete who is arguably the world best player of all time, not many would dispute that. He embodies the zeal and urge to displace any form of challenge that comes his way, and such was the case during his childhood. He is no other than the great:

Lionel Andres Messi; born in Rosario Argentina to a family with humble beginnings, with extreme talent and love for the game, he started playing at the young age of five. His gifts and talents were spot on immediately, but there could be just one problem capable of preventing him from achieving his dreams; at age eleven, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency which prevented him from growing normally. Recognising his football gifts, his parents took him to various academies hoping to get him signed up in a youth contract, but no club would dare to pay his huge medical bills as they didn’t have as much faith in him, until his parents were guided to Barcelona where they saw what no one else could see in him. Barcelona snapped him up and agreed to pay all his bills.

He made his senior team league debut in 2004, and within two years established himself as a first team regular. By 2008, he was already amongst the finest players of the game and lost out the Fifa world Player award to close rival Cristiano Ronaldo. That would be the beginning of what is now a healthy rivalry.  Strongly determined to claim the most esteemed prize award, he helped his team win the treble, first of its kind in Spain and subsequently beat his rival to claim the prize. The next year, he helped his team complete an unprecedented world record sextuple by winning the Club World cup. He then held onto the Fifa Ballon D’or trophy for a further three years, winning it for a record four times consecutively, achieving this at a young age of twenty-five. In 2013 World Soccer Magazine engraved his name amongst the all-time greats of the game by including him amongst the best eleven to have ever played the game. He has so many awards and records to his name and has repaid the faith shown in him as he is the top scorer for his club Barcelona in all competitions.

For overcoming the set-backs in his early child-hood, his resilience to win so many personal accolades and his exceptional achievements generally, Lionel Messi is a Champion!!! Some had to work their way up from the base to the pinnacle of their career and such is the case of this true born athlete:

Cristiano Ronaldo; started playing football at the age of eight with an amateur side before signing for a local team- Nacional. After some brilliant performances, he earned himself a trial with Sporting Lisbon who were impressed by his performance. They signed him up and it was obvious from the onset that he was a lad with a great future ahead of him. Same was the case when his club defeated Manchester United in a friendly match, immediately both the United players and coaches were captivated by his displays. And the ex-United manager was quoted as saying “we are not leaving Lisbon until we sort out his transfer to Manchester United”.That was how he incited his move to the English giants where he shone with his mesmerising skills and blistering pace.

In 2007 he helped his team to their first Premier League title in four years; he also won a host of premier league awards and was runner-up in 2007 to Kaka for the Ballon D’or. He continued his astounding performances for his club and in 2008 became the first and only player to win the Prestigious Fifa World Player award from the Barclays English Premiership. He was clearly at the top of his game, the next year he slashed the world transfer fee and earned a big-money dream move to Real Madrid. But here came his challenge –he had moved to a different league predominantly dominated by an extraordinary Lionel Messi and Barcelona. He lost out severally to his arch rival, but he is a fighter unwilling to settle for settle for less. He kept on scoring important goals especially for his club which helped them win the Spanish league in 2012 and eventually led his team to win Europe’s top trophy in 2014 after a 12-year wait scoring his 250^th goal for the club in the process.

Ultimately, he was rewarded for his outstanding performances and contribution to the team; in January 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo was named the Fifa World Player again, this time getting the better of his arch rival Messi to the much sought-after trophy. Many would have been depressed and surrendered to a brilliant rival who prevented him from winning various honors, but Cristiano was determined and resolute on reaching the apex of his career again. For his zeal, mental strength and numerous achievements Cristiano Ronaldo is a Champion!!!

Serena Williams; the daughter of an Afro-American man who played tennis for leisure, she grew up to love the game by watching her father play and started playing tennis at the tender age of four. She credits her father who coached her and elder sister ‘Venus’ soon as he discovered the talent in his two youngest daughters. She turned professional in 1995 when she was only fourteen, two years later she was already ranked amongst the top 100 female tennis players before graduating from high-school.

Serena had a very promising career which was highlighted when she defeated her sister Venus to win all 3 titles; US, French and Wimbledon in 2002 sky-rocketing her rankings to a high 2^nd. By January the next year, she won her first Australian Open title to become one of the very few women to complete a Career Grand Slam. But amongst all her uprisings, she had her scrapes and turns; her performances leaped over the next three years drastically and her rankings began to fluctuate. In 2004, she lost in the quarter finals of the French Open to Capriati and lost to Maria Sharapova in Wimbledon which caused her ranking to drop outside the top ten for the first time since 1999. She ended the year without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2001. At this time, the press began to criticise the Williams sisters for their poor displays and suggested they were on the decline. Determined to prove her critics wrong she fought back to win her second Australian Open singles title in 2005, but found it difficult to maintain her high standards. By 2006, she was severely burnt out and suffered a series of niggling injuries which forced her out of the game -this led to an all-time low ranking of 139^th since 1997.

Furthermore with the sad news of the death of her half-sister and personal assistant Yetunde Price, her performances became more inconsistent and she was heavily depressed. Her situation worsened as she pulled out of Wimbledon 2011 after she was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism –a life threatening illness that also threatened her career. However there was light at the end of the tunnel, by September that same year her health had improved significantly and she was able to compete at the highest level again. She fought through those set-backs and by 2012 she strived all through to Wimbledon finals which she eventually won -an emotional game it was for her remembering that only the previous year was she on her sick bed in the hospital with a terrible illness.

“A champion isn’t only about winning, but also about how you recover from your downs whether it’s an injury or a loss” —Serena Williams.

She went on to surpass many more records and same year the International Tennis Federation recognised her as a World Champion. She has won a record 29 Grand Slam titles and several Olympic gold medals. She has also fought her way back to the top and she ended the 2013 rankings as the No.1 female tennis player. For all these, her resilience and great recovery Serena Williams is a Champion!!!

The manner and style with which some play the tennis game leaves you with no option than to love the sport. He is a man who plays with such class and elegance and only a few suit such description. He is no other than the great:

Roger Federer; known for so many good reasons amongst which is the flair with which he plays the game. His career started on a very bright note winning series of junior championships and tournaments. Not many were able to know their destinations and stay focused on achieving it, but this athlete did. Once he laid his hands on the top trophy ‘Wimbledon’, he was determined to keep hold of it. He won the trophy an outstanding five years in a row, defeating Nadal twice in the process.

Nevertheless trying times are certain; in 2008 he faced a firm challenge in his quest to defend his title.  Rafael Nadal who defeated him only a few months earlier in the French Open final was his opponent. But unwilling to let-go-off his trophy they both set up a stiff fight in the finals. The match which is adjudged to be the longest and greatest in the history of Wimbledon and it lasted over four hours. After a prolonged game, Federer surrendered his prized trophy to Nadal. Having lost the Australian Open that same year to Novak Djokovic and the French and Wimbledon to Rafael Nadal, the media started to criticize Federer for his performances stating that his reign was almost over.

However, a re-energised Federer was determined to prove his critics wrong as he dominated play from start to finish to win the US Open that same year.Overcoming his challenges, in 2009 he bounced back to demand the release of his beloved Wimbledon trophy and won another that had eluded him from time past ‘the French Open’ to complete a rare Career Grand Slam. He holds the men’s record for retaining the No.1 position for 237 consecutive weeks (302 weeks in general) and record number of Grand Slam titles with 17 which makes him widely regarded as the most successful male tennis player of all time.

For his sophistication, superiority and his remarkable career, Roger Federer is a Champion!!!

Widely known for his aggressive and passionate style of play, Rafael Nadal epitomises the trend in modern tennis; taught the game by his uncle from the age of three who discovered the talent and urge within him. His uncle became his mentor and coach, guided him and advised him to use his left hand to gain a natural advantage on the courts. He turned professional at the age of fifteen and four years later advanced to win the French Open title the first time he ever played it. He would go on to dominate the competition which was played on clay and which predictably prompted the nickname ‘king of clay’. He was so bright and booming in all competitions, but for a Federer-dominated Wimbledon which had evaded him for years. He lost out to Federer in the finals of the Wimbledon in 2006 and 2007 and he admitted that the loss in 2007 left him “utterly destroyed”. He wept after the loss that night for about half an hour in the dressing room.

“One year later I was determined that whatever else would give way, this time my head would not”- These are the words of a champion with a never-die-attitude.

Leading to the 2008 Wimbledon final Roger Federer had not lost a match on grass for five years and did not lose a single set on his way to the final, he was also Wimbledon champion five times in a row. Similarly Rafael Nadal was newly crowned French Open champion and had won the competition for four years consecutively. Combined they had won fourteen of the previous sixteen Grand Slam titles together; they were both at the top of their games, head and shoulders above the rest. It was the most anticipated game of all time and it lived up to its billing. The match lasted four hours and forty eight minutes, and it is adjudged to be the longest and greatest Wimbledon finals of all time. And yes his head didn’t give up this time as he won his first Wimbledon title.

“Never underestimate the heart of a champion”—Rudy Tomjanovic.

This was supposed to be the foundation that will foster a greater career, but a year later there was a huge crisis in his family; his parents who had a massive impact on his successful career were about to separate. After this, he strived hard to avoid any negative impact on his game, but it was just a matter of time till it did. First was a knee problem which destabilised his game, then despair and depression set-in which forced him out of Wimbledon to take a break from the game for a few weeks. After he won Wimbledon in 2008, the only trophy missing in his cabinet was the US Open, but with the separation of his parents -that cast further doubt as-to whether he could ever achieve that. Setting-aside all his challenges, a more resolute Nadal returned to the courts in 2010 to win his first US Open title thereby becoming the youngest male player to win a Career Grand Slam in the open era and cement his place amongst the all-time greats in the world of tennis. For his fighting spirit, optimism, and determination achieving so much in the process, Rafael Nadal is a Champion!!!

“Champions are made from something they have inside of them; a desire, a dream, a vision. They need to have the skill and will, but the will must be greater than the skill” —Muhammed Ali

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