This is another heartwarming & uplifting story related to the Olympics – Ola Bola, a film (later turned theatre musical) inspired by true events about the Malaysia’s Football Team journey to the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.
Till today, Malaysia only qualified twice to participate in the football event in the Olympics. Once in 1972 and yes, once in this epic year of 1980 where 65 countries, including Malaysia, decided to boycott the Olympics games hosted by the Soviet Union in protest against of their Afghanistan invasion.
What really stood out for me in the story was in the final match of the qualifying rounds against South Korea, despite the team knowing that they are going to withdraw from the Olympic games, they still gave their all to win the game. And they did with a score of 3-2.
This is what I call High EQ!
Honestly, if it would had happened to my team, I am not sure if I could say the same. I’ve witnessed teams gave up half way too when they’ve learnt the rewards have been revised to be less favourable. It is demotivating after all. But this 1980 Malaysia Football Team in the movie/musical rose above. Regardless, they continued to show their great sportsmanship with an all time high team spirit.
Well, we never qualified for the event since. But then again we must continue to stay hopeful. Just like how Iedil Putra sang in the Ola Bola Musical, “Suatu hari nanti, nanti, nanti, pasti!!”
Bimbo
