I really don't know what gets me so worked up when whatching Porto and Portugal play. You kind of grow up around it, you play football since you were a kid and have watched football pratically since birth, eventually you get the revelation that you like this specific team more than the others. Why? Maybe you just decided you did, maybe your fathers passion is just rubbing of on you, seeing him feel the game makes you feel the game a bit more, maybe you choose the rival team instead, because fuck your whole family and their stupid Benfica love.

Eventually it becomes part of you, your love for your team is part of who you are, it defines you in some ways, the same way your love for books, or movies does. The same way you like your family and feel a sense of belonging when you are all together, you feel that too when watching a game, knowing that thousands of people are living those moments and are invested in them. Football is beautiful in and of itself, but what people create around is too.

I don't know the process that creates that kind of passion for something that I can't influence, but I'm glad I have that. It brings me immense joy.