CRF’s Chief Editor, Angela Asante (myself) aka J’Lah, takes the opportunity to ask viewers one simple question:

Want to know about my own story? Just read that:

Well, though I was a table foot sucker as a kid, watching football matches was far from being my diversion. Whereas my dad would be watching the games during the 1998 World Cup in France, I would be at the other side of the hall, sucking a candy and asking myself if there was any sport on earth more boring than soccer.

Even 2002’s WC final between Brazil and Germany – which I watched – couldn’t make me love football. It was only until the Euros back in 2004, that my attention turned on soccer.

How it happened:

Well, I remember my brother and I thought of changing ideas that night. So, we went in the hall, we switched on the TV, and there was Portugal playing Spain in the group stages of the competition. I really didn’t understand much of the rules in soccer, and wasn’t able to catch the techniques of the game.

What caught my eye though was Portugal’s young Star at that time, Cristiano Ronaldo.

I was like: “Hey, who’s this funny guy with a spicy performance!”

I quickly got in the mood of the game and got amazed at every touch he would do – especially at the way he could dribble with the ball on touch lines.

My brother (LiL BOSS) and I would call him “Le 17” (meaning “the 17” in English) or “B.D” (because he had the look of someone who could be in a comic strip) because we didn’t know his name at first. Later on, we nicknamed him Cris…

Then I remember Portugal had to play England in the quarter finals in a thrilling encounter where Cristiano Ronaldo was nothing less than formidable. I was ecstatic at Portugal’s qualification.

From there, I followed Cristiano Ronaldo everywhere on TV and it was only then that I came to discover the existence of leagues, etc…

Manchester United became my favorite club because of Ronaldo, and I’m now a complete soccer pro and addict.

There’s no stopping me now… Ronaldo forever!

Written by: Angela Asante