Dear football,
Today, I want to share with you that this season will be my last as a professional footballer. After so many years living my dream, I feel it’s time to start a new chapter in my life.
Being honest, even though I have been preparing myself for this moment, I found it hard to write this letter. After 20 seasons , many people have played an important role in my career.
When I first kicked a ball as a child in Pamplona with my schoolmates, I never imagined the amazing journey ahead. I’m grateful for every moment: the wins, the tough losses, the challenges, and most of all, the people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve made along the way.
To my teammates, coaches, and every staff member at all the clubs I’ve been lucky to be part of, thank you for helping me grow as a person and a player every day. Wearing the shirts of CA Osasuna, Olympique Marseille, Chelsea FC, Atlético de Madrid, Sevilla FC, and representing my country at the biggest stages has been a true privilege. Every moment has meant so much to me…
At Heathrow Airport on my way to Glasgow this morning, I noticed a sweet, pleasant smell that made me delay my check-in for a couple of minutes just so I could get the name of the perfume.
Man was on call, but he kinda noticed I was trying to get his attention.
He said, ZARA (FASHIONABLY LONDON N°O4).
Entered ZARA store and to my greatest surprise, the perfume is less than £50.
Surprised our son for his 18th birthday. We got him a car but the agreement was he would have to work to pay the car off and we would pay for half.
He worked his butt off being a Taco Bell employee straight for two years. Never missed a day or a car payment.
Even on top of that was able to save substantial money in his bank account.
Just told him today we paid his car off.
His first response was perfect: are you guys sure? I can still work.
These moments I’ll always remember.
The long-term effect of poverty on human capital development for industrial growth is not even a worry to the rulers. Anybody who wishes Nigeria well should be alarmed by our poverty. What poverty does to the brain and body is unimaginable.
The women who clean my school dormitories in Korea come to work every morning in their SUVs. Back at university at home, after cleaning, they would hang by the entrance door begging students for transport money to go home. We'd gladly give, because if they didn't come the following day, we'd live like pigs.
No one takes financial advice from someone who’s never built wealth , so why take marriage advice from someone who’s never lived it?
Learn from those who’ve been decades in.
Ten years of marriage and here is my opinion 👇🏾
If you’re single and constantly creating imaginary fights or problems with a future partner, you are already laying the foundation for a difficult marriage.
Marriage is a partnership. It’s not you versus your spouse, it’s both of you versus whatever life throws your way.
When you choose to see your spouse not just as a partner, but as a friend, someone you respect, support, and genuinely like, you create more room for patience, understanding, and a beautiful home.
Friendship softens conflict. It builds trust. It reminds you why you chose each other in the first place ❤️
63% of Nigeria’s population is 140 million people, which is like the combined populations of Thailand, South Korea, and Malaysia. Imagine every single person in those three developed nations living in one space.
I was a university dropout when I paid for my siblings GCE forms. One of them is now a senior Tech bro in Canada.
I was in the university as an undergrad in London when I was also funding my sisters degree in Uni Ilorin. We collectively funded her Masters, she just got a great job in London a few weeks ago.
We must collectively hold the goverment to account for making cost of living so miserable for the common man.
Now life is harder than ever for our people, and extreme Individualism is not the way to go. We must try and manage together, that is our only hope🙏🙏
There’s a state in Nigeria that something like this will happen,the governor will arrest everyone in that neighborhood and replace the banner immediately. Then travel to Abuja to ask the president for forgiveness
My city is currently running a free bus service to encourage more people to use the bus to work and leave their personal cars at home due to the rising price of fuel.
I had some bank issues, so I ended up paying my staff salaries today. None of them acknowledged or said thank you except my house cleaner. I didn’t even see it as a big deal (especially since I added a lil extra for the inconvenience),one still asked if I had increased her salary