No matter how bad things can seem, you just have to get on with your life and make the most of it. If you dwell on the past, you’ll become its prisoner, but if you look forward – you can reach greatness. We could all learn something from the life story of Eduardo Camavinga and his family.Born in a refugee camp in Angola, Eduardo’s chance of escaping poverty didn’t seem promising early on. But things started to change when his family relocated to a small town near Rennes in France.After a few years of breaking everything around the house by kicking a football around, Eduardo’s father finally gave in and took his boy to a local club Drapeau Fougeres to begin real training. At the age of seven, Eduardo’s football journey began.It got even better when scouts from Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais noticed his talent and invited him to play in a youth tournament for them. The boy was going to make it.Dreams really do come true! @realmadrid 🤍🙏🏾 #HALAMADRID pic.twitter.com/uoogFpr5pO— Eduardo Camavinga (@Camavinga) August 31, 2021 In every such story, there is a point when the main character faces a seemingly impossible challenge. To the family Camavinga, it happened in 2013, when Eduardo was only 11 years old. A fire broke out and destroyed the family home. Everything they had, all that they’ve managed to save – everything that Eduardo’s parents had built disappeared in flames.”I remember the fire as if it were yesterday. I was at school and saw the firefighters passing out of the window. At the end of the class, the teachers came to me and my little sister and explained what had happened. My Dad came to get us and took us there. Everything was burned, everything was destroyed.”Thursday, 21.45: (4.50) Sweden (3.45) Spain (1.85)The next day, the boy just went to training. There was nothing else to do.”It helped me to relax. It was a way to escape.”But despite all the bad things, the Camavingas never stopped believing that their fortunes would improve. Eduardo still remembers the words of his Dad.”My father told me not to worry because I’d become a great footballer and rebuild the house. I was the family’s hope. Suddenly, I was motivated. My parents were already happy, but I knew I could make them even happier.”🎙| Florian Maurice, Rennes sporting director:“Camavinga has gone to the biggest club in the world. He deserves it.” pic.twitter.com/EmKQTFWsLj— Madrid Xtra. (@MadridXtra) September 1, 2021 Five years later, Eduardo was playing for Rennes, drawing plaudits and scouts to predict a bright footballing future for the African-born boy. At only 17 years of age, he was called up to represent his adopted country of France.And now, he’s a player of the world’s most successful club in Real Madrid. It’s been a rollercoaster ride so far, but this is only the beginning. This young man has many more houses to build.
