#OutToLunch Lessons from Messi: Success takes time By Denis Jjuuko Lionel Messi wrote his name in history with heroic displays at the just concluded FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The tournament, a first of many, was the first to be held in the Arab world while Morocco became the first African country to compete in a semifinal. But the 2022 FIFA World Cup will always be remembered for the heroics of Lionel Messi, the maestro who stands taller than his body height suggests. The debate whether he was greater than Christian Ronaldo was ended on that Sunday — though it should have ended in 2014 when Messi guided Argentina to the final in Brazil. But on that night, he came short as Germany won it that day. The debate online now is whether he is greater than Diego Maradona or Pele even though the debate of who is the GOAT — greatest of all time — will never be won. Those who watched Pele will continue to believe he is the GOAT. Those who lived in Maradona’s time will name him as the GOAT. Before the match on Sunday, Messi said the final would be his last at the world cup. He is 35 years old and in 2026 when the next one is held, he will be 39. At 35, already in footballing terms, he is considered a pensioner (especially for an attacker). His ability to play at that age for more than 120 minutes shows how great he reserves his energies and how Argentina was able to construct a team around their soccer genius. Argentina and Messi understood that their captain wouldn’t be able to run with the ball from his own half and score wonder goals like he used to do especially for Barcelona. So, Messi many times milled around the half way line or deep in his own half where he made tricky passes to his fastest compatriots like Julian Alvarez like we saw against Croatia. At 35, Messi didn’t just show up and won the world cup. He started his quest to win it in 2006 and only won it at his fifth attempt in 2022, that is 16 years of waiting. Sixteen years of hard work — keeping his body in shape, changing his overall play so he can control the tempo of the game with his passes or incisive runs. His coach understood that his own destiny was also with Messi. Yet at 35, Messi still scored seven goals in the tournament, one short of golden ball winner, France’s Kylian Mbappe. At one stage, Messi actually quit the national team. Success was eluding him both in the Copa America (competition for South America) and the grandest of them all — the world cup. Being the skillful great player he is, he was being blamed at home by some sections of Argentina’s failure to win. Some people talked him out of it and he ended up winning the Copa America for the first time in 2021 and now the world cup. What do we learn from Messi’s win in Qatar? That success takes time. That the road to success is not always clear cut and many times one could even doubt themselves but if they keep knocking on doors, some will end up opening. In Qatar, Argentina actually lost its opening game against minnows Saudi Arabia and it looked like Messi’s dream was over. But Argentina was able to rise again. In the quarterfinals and again in the final on Sunday, Argentina actually lost 2-0 leads with a few minutes to go. Another player would have given up but Messi scored Argentina’s third goal on Sunday. France pegged them back to 3-3. Messi stood up and took the team’s first shot in the penalty shoot-out. That is leadership. Success doesn’t come on a sliver platter. But it also takes a lot of time. There will always be exceptions. Mbappe won a world cup as a key player in 2018 when he was under 20. But on a large scale and for most people, Messi inclusive, success comes after many failures. After many times of trying. That is the same in business or employment. Success comes with time. After many years or hours of toiling. After learning from experience. Young people either looking for a job or starting out in business today must think long term. Yet there are many people who want to quickly succeed which they try to do by cutting corners and ending up losing the platforms that would have led to their eventual success. If success is what you need, you may have to think like Messi. Not giving up. Trying at every opportunity presented and surrounding yourself with the right people. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

By Denis Jjuuko Every four years, almost everyone’s attention is focused on what is generally considered the world’s premier sporting event. Thirty-two national teams from around the world compete for the ultimate prize of becoming world champions or at least to show up and have that recorded in history. Somebody posted on social media that his work colleague in Canada had said he was attending the World Cup in Qatar whether he was granted leave or not. You have also probably watched a clip where a groom realized that a soccer game coincided with his wedding and he wondered whether anyone would be interested in replacing him so he could not miss the match! That is how crazy fans take soccer and much more the grandest of them all — the FIFA World Cup. I remember the Japan and South Korea tournament which was screened during working hours in East African time. Employers knowing how distracted their workers would be ended up installing TV screens in offices and allowed staff 90 minutes or so to catch the game. People worked to beat deadlines so they could not miss the Original Ronaldo or Michel Ballack do their thing! But this year’s World Cup is strange. Because it is in Qatar, the tournament was shifted from the traditional western summer months of June and July to November and December when the temperatures in the hosting country are calmer. This means that the festive season this time round has come earlier than usual for soccer fans. Yet the whole world is facing unprecedented inflation levels. A tournament at the end of the year that ushers in the Christmas period means spending for most people. Here are some ideas of how one could mitigate the lack of money that is associated with January. Bet what you can lose There is already a lot of talk on which national team will lift the 18-gold carat trophy. If there is something about soccer that makes it so loved all over the world, it is its unpredictability. Again in 2002, many put their money on reigning champions France who lined up the most complete squad on paper. They exited the tournament without scoring a single goal and ended up marauded by minnows like Senegal. This year, Saudi Arabia beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Germany, who have won the title four times were beaten by the Japanese. Football doesn’t respect reputations. Betting companies will be enticing you with all sorts of ads. Bet only what you can lose. Don’t commit suicide because of a football game, supporting a team in whose country they won’t even grant you a 10-day tourist visa! Only carry money you intend to spend Soccer is better watched with peers arguing, analyzing, and offering all sorts of unsolicited advice to coaches who won’t hear them. There is nothing as interesting as trolling fans of a losing team especially one that was swaggering as pre-tournament favourites. In that excitement, people tend to dispense with all forms of frugality, spending on people they don’t even know. Don’t let the excitement of your favourite player scoring a potential goal of the tournament make you buy a round of drinks for whoever is in the bar. So, if you are the excitable type, carry only money you intend to spend. You may have to disconnect your mobile money from your bank account during this period where you have unfiltered access to all your annual savings. That way you spend only what you carried. Also, you may have to leave your credit/debit card at home so you are not attempted to spend beyond your budget. Pay school fees for next term early Many Ugandans cry of money in January. Because offices close early for the festive season, people who are usually paid by the end of the month all of a sudden are paid in mid-December and yet the next pay is always by the end of January. Ugandans usually joke that this is the longest month in the calendar yet like many other months, January is just 31 days. School fees is usually around the corner, making many people spend sleepless nights. One way to avoid such a scenario is to pay the school fees using the December salary before it is spent on soccer and then the festive season. If you are serving a mortgage, pay the January installment in December. Also, pay your landlord if you are renting. That way, you don’t have to call everyone for bailouts. Pay yourself Lastly, life is for living. The World Cup comes once every four years. Have fun, cheer your favourite team. Pay yourself. It has been a tough year and still is! The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com