Faith, ‘divine journey,’ and Trump will ensure unforgettable World Cup, island nation’s soccer president says
ANGEL BATTA/AFP/Getty Images
Putting in the work
What the executive also explained — without giving himself the proper credit — was how he brought his country out of the Stone Age in terms of organization and formalities.
Before his election as president of Curaçao’s soccer federation, the tiny country of about 150,000 had a program that was in shambles. Hotels and travel were not organized, players were not paid on time, and soccer teams within the country were at odds.
“Too much distraction,” Martina said, expressing the stress of the job. “There’s so much things that we had to professionalize, and so that was the focus.”
He continued, “Because if they’re not focused [on qualifying] … you will have too much distraction.”
After Martina became president, Curaçao went undefeated in eight matches (five wins, three ties) and qualified for the World Cup. There, the team will share Group E with Germany, the Ivory Coast, and Ecuador, with its first game against Germany on June 14.
Message for others
Martina compared his approach to life, and to a successful nation, with a hummingbird.
“A hummingbird isn’t going to a garbage nest at KFC or Pizza Hut. A hummingbird always goes for the best nectar, the best flowers, because that’s the best of the best,” he said, mirroring advice he gives in his book, “Healthy Minds, Healthy Nation.”
Martina insisted that people should strive for the best, whether it is in performance, organization, or even nutrition.
“That’s a powerful message. … When we are able to convert that into our daily life, purpose, and intention, beautiful things happen.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.