Marcos Matthews is a well-known name in the soccer world. It was not all so easy for the soccer star, though, and he had many challenges before being successful. How then did he make it despite the challenges and obstacles that lined his way? By sheer determination, perseverance, and hard work.
Marcos faced challenges growing up because of his family situation. His parents got a divorce when he was as little as ten months old, with his father gaining custody of him and his brother. As such, he did not have a traditional family growing up, and in the same way with most children like him, he faced a lot of emotional and psychological turmoil. When Marcos was about 4, his pent up anger exploded, and he threw tantrums whenever he was angry. His father noticed that he threw things with precision and accuracy despite his anger and began to think of ways to help the young child channel his aggression and frustration into something that would be productive for him. After giving it some thought, Marcos’ father advised him to try athletics. Heeding his father’s advice, Marcos tried playing baseball, and later, basketball. However, because of his small stature then, he was unable to excel in those fields.
Watching his brother play soccer, Marcos was greatly intrigued by the whole process, and he decided to start playing it too. While he was skillful at playing soccer, he was not so skilled in his academics and was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia, a condition that made it difficult for him to read or write. The stigma associated with this condition made Marcos spend much time playing soccer with his teammates. He found out that numerous famous athletes had been diagnosed with dyslexia but did not allow that to stop them in the pursuit of their goals and so, he decided to borrow a leaf from them and do the same.
By
the time Marcos was in high school, he had decided to dedicate his time fully
to soccer. He worked extra hard by training with others and by himself, and by
sophomore year, he was already a starter. Before long,
Marcos’ hard work paid off, and he rightfully earned a place in one of the most distinguished academies in the United States of America. To match with his hardworking nature, Marcos played under a rigorous coach who encouraged his players to play to the limits of their endurance. Marcos did not balk at the challenge but squared up to it. The result was that overseas scouts discovered him, and not long after, he was able to earn a three-week trial with the Spanish teams FC Malaga City, CD Leganes, and Marcet. Marcos still dreams big despite all his success and hopes to play in the World Cup that would hold in 2022.