In a world full of competition, everyone wishes that they could be the best. Becoming the ‘best’ means different things to different people, and some people take that to mean a lot more than the average person.
While we see the success of those we call GOATs and may even feel envious of their position in the world, what we don’t see tends to be a lot more sinister. Below, we take a look at two GOATs across different sports and consider just a fraction of the troubles they encounter.
Tom Brady
Representing Florida for Tampa Bay and hailed a living legend by the masses, Tom Brady’s career in the NFL has been ruled by glory for the past two decades. Almost universally acknowledged as the best NFL player in history, how much better can it get for a football player? Well, despite being GOAT, it is not always the incredible achievements of his unprecedented career that steals headlines in the media.
When you get that good, the world’s spotlight shines down on you, and Brady has been victim to widespread fake news about his recent divorce, financial stability, and expected retirement date. One recent study measured that the false rumors about Brady reached over 72 million readers. It’s a shame the fake news shade his incredible seven Super Bowl wins.
Cristiano Ronaldo
After a recent transfer to Saudi Arabia in what appears to be the final stage of his career, Ronaldo has been at the top of the soccer game for almost 20 years now, and his impact has been astounding. His records are endless and his consistency over the years is unmatchable.
No matter how many goals he scores or records he breaks, though, the Portuguese striker always finds himself at the center of controversy in the media. With the empire-like following that he brings, just chucking the name Ronaldo guarantees traction for news outlets. Sadly, this focus is not always positive nor even truthful, but the name Ronaldo sells. He recently took to the internet in a now-famous interview to shine a light on his story from his own, vulnerable point of view. The interview was met with even more criticism and controversy for the player.
Game Respects Game
In an epic collision of worlds, the two actually met last year, when Tom Brady appeared at Old Trafford following an impressive display from Ronaldo, who bagged a hattrick against Tottenham in a 3-2 win. Not many people can relate to being the very best in the world, so the two probably share a lot in common despite living across an ocean. A sense of mutual respect emanated from the crisp handshake that the two shared.
People often think that getting to the top is the only hard part – staying at the top might be even harder. To do it for two decades despite the worldwide criticism they receive on a daily basis is astounding, and we should feel lucky to exist as part of their generation.
