Football attracted talents from around the world, she left her country in search of playing the popular game to join big clubs and play in front of crowded halls, raise cups and titles, and reap huge sums, but this picture changed radically in the past weeks, as many players found themselves stuck in a country Strange, far from their families and the ball, in light of the crisis imposed by the emerging Corona virus.
And prompted the "Covid-19" epidemic, which caused about 30 thousand declared deaths until Saturday in various countries of the world, to almost completely freeze sports activity, and impose severe restrictions on movement of travel to reduce its spread.
For about three weeks or more, football players, especially in Europe, find themselves out of their daily routine: training pressure, matches and hustle and bustle, replaced by limited exercises to maintain fitness, stay committed at home and communicate with others via video technology no more.
In light of the vague picture of what comes from the days and when health conditions allow globally the return of matches, the teams search for maintaining a basic link between their members, albeit with a virtual connection from a distance.
Brighton English coach Graham Potter says that video communication "is a way to keep in touch with each other, to establish a certain theme because I think this is important, all of our players are here in the UK, so it is important for us to stay in touch and have conversations." Periodically, we make sure everyone is in good health. "
He continues that many of his players "are far from their families, they miss their members and this is something we understand, we sympathize with that, but we considered that the right step is to limit international travel and stay at home in peace."
Other clubs allowed a number of their foreign players to return to their country in light of the interruption of matches at the local and continental levels in Europe, and before the great militancy imposed on the level of air transport.
Three of the stars of Paris Saint-Germain, the French, Neymar, Thiago Silva and Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, returned to their countries before France entered the stage of compulsory domestic isolation.
In contrast, Spain's Pedro, a Chelsea player, found himself stuck in London far from his family, and in a quarantine also started before even the local formalities, after it was proven that his young teammate, Calum Hudson-Odoe, was infected with the Coruna virus.
"It is hard not to see your children, your relatives, your relatives, not being near them at a complicated time, and it is difficult for all of us," said the 32-year-old.
In statements to the Spanish radio "Cadena Ser", the former player confirmed, "I tell them, stay at home, and I miss them."
For many footballers, the most prominent challenge at the moment is how to fill up vacant time.
"Of course, I suffer from boredom after more than two weeks have passed since the isolation of the club," the club's Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Chishni said in comments to the sports network "Sky Italy", which the club imposed on its members after it was confirmed that his defender Daniele Rogani had contracted the virus.
"I am alone in Turin because my family has returned to Poland. Nevertheless, I can say that I have a peaceful time. I sleep a lot."
Players linked to clubs outside their country are used to traveling permanently, either to see family members and spend holidays, or to join the national team in the periods of international matches.
However, the interruption of competitions at the various local, continental and international levels, gives these additional leisure time was not taken into account.
Of these, Argentinian Ever Banega of Seville, who is scheduled to move to Saudi youth next season, has attained the age of 31, 65 international matches with Argentina, and had to travel across the Atlantic more than once during the season to join the team.
"It is strange because football is always with us, when the La Liga matches stop, there are international matches. Even in the summer, we play friendly matches before the start of the season," Banega told AFP.
While noting that this pattern was generating "a great yearning for our loved ones," he explains that, given the time he has now, "most of what I do is to use time with my husband and children and enjoy spending time with the family."
The biggest question currently being is when can the football wheel turn back, but no one has a decisive answer in light of a healthy situation that develops in one way or another daily, but the players, especially those who live alone, are sure to express their longing for their sport despite all their hardships.