Slickest Footballer On The Planet

My Childhood Dream was to become a Footballer like Romario, I turned into an Artist instead. I even imagined that I would remain short forever but now am above 1.7 metres tall; things change. In Primary 3, "Footballer" is what I wrote and drew for my Religious Education (RE) teacher when she asked us what we wanted to become in future; I was 8 years old. By 12, my dream had collapsed and died due to academic whips. Nevertheless, here are some players I fancied along the way plus the one I think is the Slickest of them all.

I started following football in the late 80s and John Barnes (at Liverpool) was my first hero. Then David Ginola (Tottenham), Ian Wright (Arsenal), the pompous Eric Cantona (Manchester United) and Australian Harry Kewell (Leeds); Matt LeTissier (Southampton) also made an impression because he was carefree and scored for fun, holds the record as the Best Penalty Taker. In my Jinja neighborhood, there was a boy with a big calf [Entumbwe] on one leg who dribbled well, Francis Mulero at Victoria Nile School had some good skill, Okateng had drive, Natuhereza was a very pitch-savvy footballer but unbelievably became Coach Niko instead in FUBA taking UCU Canons to Game 7; Lumu at Kalinabiri PS taught me the Zidane Spin; Steven Ddungu at SMACK was a marauder, Kiyingi was Rivaldo at leftback while Ocuku had technique, Katongole was a force to reckon with, Craig Lugemwa (defender) was my first BO Liga captain plus Ivan Earl Agaba and Gerald Okol had admirable ball movement; Ron Philip Beehamya had a big presence in midfield, Eric Kamya at Macos was silky; Alpha always wanted to win, John Semakula defended well and Justin Emedot was lively; there were many other talents at school but none joined The Cranes. Majid Musisi, Paul Hasule, Jackson Mayanja (who resembled my footballer cousin Charles Dramu), Ssekatawa and goalkeeper Sadiq Wassa made waves as Ugandan footballers plus Express Mukwano Gwa Banji was my Friendliest Club but I kind of fancied Fimbo, Hassan Mubiru, David Obua, Tony Mawejje, Emmanuel Okwii, Denis Onyango plus Caesar Okhuti from Arua (West Nile) as years went by. In the rest of Africa, Roger Milla (Cameroon), George Weah (Liberia), Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia), Doctor Khumalo (South Africa), Sadio Mane (Senegal) and Billiat (Zimbabwe) made me pay attention. As teams, I liked Germany, Denmark (1992 Euro), Nigeria, Brazil and Bayern Munich but was not really a Diehard. Czech Republic played like aliens in the early 2000s and I fancied Milan Baros (a precursor to Luis Suarez at Steven Gerrard's Liverpool). However, it's Arsenal on Saturday 16th May 1998 with Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira plus Marc Overmars coached by Arsene Wenger (who later became The Invincible One) that turned me into a real soccer fanatic. Let's go back to the beginning: I would get into a very bad mood for almost a week when Arsenal lost until I found mental valves that absorbed the pain to less than two days. Now I know that no matter how well you prepare, sometimes you can still lose. Robert Pires was my Favourite Gunner because he reminded me of JESUS, like a perfect 7. Wiltord, Seaman, Diawara (Very gifted Dribbler), Campbell, Lehmann, Fabregas, Djourou, Eduardo, van Persie, Nasri, Arshavin, Cazorla (ambidextrous like a big chapati) Ramsey aka Rambo, Giroud (Scorpion King), Fabianski, Ospina, Oezil, Martinez, Odegaard, Nketiah, Martinelli plus all the Arsenal Family around the world make me proud. I had tears in my eyes when Leeds beat Arsenal 1-0 in 2000 plus felt my heart melt to liquid in 2009 while Arsenal trailed Manchester United 1-3 at the Emirates Stadium in the 2nd Leg of the UEFA Champions League after losing 1-0 away; I have never felt that much emotion for any other sports team on the planet. Maybe Arua Hill (established in 2010) can become another favourite since I already adore the locality like crazy since Y2K but not up to tears nor molten-heart level. Also in Y2K, I admired Real Madrid with Raul Gonzalez, Fernando Morientes, Guti and Iker Casillas plus Barcelona with Luis Figo and Rivaldo in the UEFA Champions League. During the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 knockout game against defending champions Brazil which France won with a Thierry Henry goal, Zinedine Zidane played at probably 100 percent perfection. David Villa performed spell-breaking wonders for Spain at South Africa 2010 (Omusaja oyo tebamuteka mu chupa [That man cannot be put in a bottle]). Personally, I believe without any arguments that Pep Guardiola was the Best Passer of the Ball in the 90s. When he took over at Barcelona, he introduced a Tikitaka passing style that literally conquered the world in 2009 and the Catalans became the 1st Team on Earth to win all six of the trophies available to them in a season. This team had many great players including Andres Iniesta. However, the Biggest Highlight for me was Lionel Messi. Although born in Argentina, if he ever gets naturalised Spanish citizenship, then he probably won the World Cup in 2010 by default; that group just oozed Barca from back to front. Pele was legendary (though he played before I was born), Maradona was great (watched him get banned for drugs), Cristiano scored many goals, Drogba was majestic, Lewandowski netted 5 goals in 9 minutes then broke Gerd Mueller's record after winning every match with Bayern in his first UCL triumph (2020), Mo Salah was the Pharaoh at the top like "more salat" but Messi has been superslick. He did not need tap-ins, headers nor penalties to score, he had the ability to create his goals from absolutely nothing. Messi is the Slickest Player on Earth and neighbouring planets whether Mars or Venus, name it! The Best Goal to describe his footballing intent was his first in the 2015 Copa del Rey Final against Athletic Bilbao. The opponents marked him hard with concentration and were very physical on him for the first 20 minutes of the game; I watched it from kickoff to end. Furious or not, Messi turned on some switch I did not understand and dribbled half the Bilbao team like a monster to break the deadlock. This was the stuff he did in training at La Masia if you tried to play tough on him, according to his teammates. Failing to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup yet he was very close transformed Messi; maybe Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng and Manuel Neuer can attest to that...

LIONEL MESSI Quotes

I start early and I stay late, day after day, year after year, it took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success...

I want to thank Football in general for what it has given me...

Sometimes you have to accept you can't win all the time...

I'm not the sort of guy who shouts and screams before a match...

Even the tough times... leave marks on you that shape your life...

I never think about the play or visualise anything. I do what comes to me at that moment. Instinct...

Every year I try to grow as a player and not get stuck in a rut. I try to improve my game in every way possible...

I've liked football since I was a kid and I've always dreamt of becoming a professional footballer. I never thought of any other job...

I want to be World Champion, but not to change the perception of others towards me or to achieve greatness like they say, but rather, to reach the goal with my tactical team and to add a World Cup to my list of titles...

You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it...

There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a happy and smiling child. I always help in any way I can, even if it's just by signing an autograph. A child's smile is worth more than all the money in the world...

What I do is play soccer, which is what I like...

I don't need the best hairstyle or the best body. Just give me a call at my feet and I'll show you what I can do...

Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with trying to win...

Just focus on enjoying everything...

It doesn't matter if am better than Cristiano Ronaldo, all that matters is that Barcelona are better than Madrid...

Barcelona gave me everything, they took a chance on me when nobody else would. I never have any desire to play for anybody else, I will be here for as long as they want me...

One doesn't know what can happen in the future, but if it were up to me to decide, I would stay at Barcelona for the rest of my career...

After the (2014) World Cup, I did not feel like talking...

I'm enjoying life in Paris...

This (7th Ballon d'Or) trophy really is special... It gives me a feeling of accomplishment with the Argentine selection national team... 

Concerning my family and kids... I know that they really do enjoy the moments and I enjoy seeing them happy...

I also want to tell Robert (Lewandowski)... Last year (2020) everyone agreed that you were the winner and I think that France Football should give you the Ballon d'Or... and you can have it in your home... It couldn't be done because of the pandemic...

I'm more worried about being a good person than being the best player in the world. When all this is over, what are you left with?

Filipino (2020) by Aiko...

JUST GO [Translated to Lugbara: IMU LU]

On Friday 29th October 2021, DREW BINSKY finally reached the 197th destination in his mission to visit every country on Earth. His endless travelling started around January 2012 when he moved to Prague (Czech Republic) for studies until the worldwide Corona Virus Disease-19 pandemic delayed him from achieving his 2019 target for 18 months but after lockdowns ended, he visited Palau, Jamaica and Saudi Arabia, the only remaining countries in his travel itinerary. Below are some of his Quotes (transcribed from multiple videos):

I was born in Dallas, Texas but grew up in the hot desert of Phoenix, Arizona... I had been to about 20 states before I was 15 but never overseas. I first got interested in travelling after my... 10th birthday... In January 2017, I moved to Hanoi with my girlfriend and transitioned as a content creator when she bought me my first Canon video camera. I started focussing on making short videos from my travels and posting them on Facebook, not YouTube...

I'm a travel blogger and video maker who has visited every country on Earth. I travel full-time and tell stories about people and culture.

My goal is to spread peace, positivity and happiness...

I love meeting new people, eating new food and learning about new cultures... My #1 goal with everything is to inspire people to travel and I strive to be an influence and a resource to help you along the way...

In two years, I travelled to over 40 Asian countries. I became semi-fluent in the Korean language...

My parents bought me a globe for my 8th birthday... Every night before I went to sleep, I'd spin the globe and memorise all the countries and capitals and dream of visiting the 7 wonders of the world and farway places... Finishing every country in the world at 30 years old is a tremendous accomplishment...

Stay safe, be spontaneous and just go...

Even though I've completed my goal of 197 countries, I feel I have only just begun my life's adventure and I can't wait to keep making content in far away places. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for being here...

I'm launching Just Go Meetups which I plan to turn into a worldwide travel networking club for like-minded people to meet in various cities. I started this because our online community of 9 Million is incredible and there is no better way to capitalize than face to face meetings. You can join in your city to hang out, network or make a new travel buddy...

During the last 10 years, I've experienced countless highs and lows... I've flown on 1,458 flights, riden on 1,117 buses and trains and created 1,241 videos all while chasing my life's mission to visit every single country in the world, but I've never travelled just for the numbers. In every nation, I did my best to immerse myself in the culture, ask questions and tell stories to help you and I better understand our fascinating world. The following are eight universal lessons I've learnt from my travels: #8. Humanity is beautiful no matter where you go; #7. Cities are the ever-growing hubs of humankind, and they do as much good as they do harm; #6. The world is safer than you think and 99.9 percent of people are good people; #5. So much of the world is untouched natural beauty, waiting to be discovered; #4. Wildlife is one of the  Most Precious Gifts we have on our planet; #3. Poverty does not always equal unhappiness; #2. Food is the ultimate connector because everyone needs to eat; #1. Despite our physical differences, all humans in the world are the same. We cry, we laugh, we love...

I will be continuing to travel, but I'll focus on the story, not the country. I'll be bringing you only the best and most unusual travel stories from around the planet. So please subscribe to this (Drew Binsky [YouTube]) channel... I've started a second channel called "Faces of the World" where I will be working with production teams from different teams from different countries to tell you stories about the Most Inspiring People on our planet...

I've been wearing these two words [JUST GO.] across my chest  for five years because I truly believe that being spontaneous leads to life's greatest moments. The upcoming holiday droptheme is: We are all the same, which as you recall is the number one lesson I've learnt from my travels...

I will soon be releasing the first ever travel-focussed NFT Collection called travel tokens; it has 2,000 custom-detailed illustrations of my favourite places and experiences from all 197 countries... If any of you guys are involved in NFTs, please send me an email to drew@drewbinsky.com...

The Cleanest Country in my opinion is Rwanda. I've had the chance to visit Rwanda twice, the first time was a few years ago and the most recent was a few months ago and over every other country in Africa, it is like a hidden gem of cleanliness. A lot of this stems because of the grueling past. In 1994, Rwanda suffered a horrible genocide where 800,000 people were killed within 100 days and because of this, the concept of Umuganda was created. Umuganda translates roughly as coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome. It refers to the habit that Rwandans have of coming together after times of hardships. So in order to get rid of this horrible past today in the capital Kigali, you will see pristine lawns, clear pavements and roads that are just in perfect shape you would not believe it (I haven't found a single piece of trash on the street). And Rwandan people really come together to make their country clean. On the last Saturday of every month it's mandatory for people of all ages to come together and clean the streets in the mornings...

Thanks to Deanna for believing in me since we met six years ago! Thanks to my parents for supporting me and my loving family! Thank you to all my best friends... strangers I met along the way, all my local friends who kept me safe but most importantly, thank you for joining me on this adventure... I really sincerely, from the bottom of my heart appreciate you guys being here! It's such a surreal moment right now to think that I've been travelling for 10 years...

How I Make Money To Travel: No, am not rich! I do not have rich parents and I do not have a huge savings account. I make all of my own money to fund my travels through lots of hard work, patience, bartering, taking advantage of opportunities and being a smart money-spender. For the first two years of living abroad (2013-2015), I made a living teaching English in Korea. And these days the majority of my income comes from the following five ways... My salary varies month by month. Some months I make $25K while others I make $4. Essentially, the harder I work, the more I get paid (So we are driving across Uganda right now and am editing some videos in the car and the more eyeballs on my content, the more I can charge brands; it's basic marketing). Let's take a look at each revenue stream in order from the highest-paying to the lowest: 1. Sponsored Trips: Every year, I go on a handful of trips that are sponsored by Tourism boards or a specific destination. They cover all travel expenses and depending on the workload, my rate is about $2.5K/ day for video content and social media posts. 2. YouTube Ads: Believe it or not, I have jumped on the YouTube bandwagon after neglecting it for over a year... Last month I made $2,300; It's really awesome considering I make $0 from Facebook and I've had over 120 Million views there. 3. Affiliate Marketing: This is when I sell a product through a custom link and make a commission at no additional cost to the consumer. My highest paying affiliates are selling a TEFL Class for English teachers, discounts on hotels for Booking.com and camera products on Amazon. I make $1-2K/ month on affiliates. 4. Social Media Promotions: This is when a travel-related brand approaches me to promote their product (Taking an Uber here is the best way to get around. It's much cheaper and safer than taxis). I try to limit these to stay authentic to my brand and not be a sell out but when I do them, I make sure the product directly aligns with my style. My rates are around $1.5 for an IG shout-out and 1K for a mention on Snapchat. 5. Travel blogging: This used to be my number 1 source of income back in 2015 but has slipped away when I got into video. I make money from my blog through affiliate marketing and sponsored articles when a brand/ hotel/ airline pays me to write about their product or service and put a link to it. 6. Other Income: I also earn money from freelance writing, selling drone footage, travel and social media consulting as well as making videos for other brands to use on their channels like I do for Allianz Travel Insurance (Welcome to another episode of Local Flavour with Drew Binsky!) Also keep in mind that a lot of my travel is comped or bartered in exchange for shoutouts. Whenever you see me mention a hotel or airline, etc, it's usually covered (Thank you for flying Air Asia!)... I am just a normal kid from Arizona who spent the last five years of his life working his ass off to build a brand and get to this point today...

The world has expensive countries like Norway, Switzerland and the UK and cheap countries like most of Asia and South America... more enjoyable, more of an off-the-beaten-path experience. Here are my self-declared 10 Cheapest Countries in the World: #10. El Salvador: Friendliest People... More than 20 active volcanoes in the country. Grab pupusas, my favourite street food for less than $1 or take a chicken bus for $0.20; #9. Kurgyzstan: 90 percent is covered by mountains. It's a nature-lover's paradise... Very affordable! Head into Bishkek's Osh Bazaar to find cheap souvenirs and eats; #8. Romania: The hidden gem of Eastern Europe... One of those places where you shouldn't have a plan and just go with the flow. Most meals will cost you no more than $5 and the medieval castles around Transylvania are stunning; #7. India: Prices skyrocket for anything touristy. I spent 3 months with a budget of $500 a month for everything. As long as you stay away from the tourist restaurants and hotels, you can do the same; #6. The Philippines: Ah, my beloved... The Place I've been to 28 times and can't get enough of. Grab a coconut for $0.30, a jeepney ride for $0.70 or a domestic flight for $20 and don't forget to enjoy the untouched beaches on 7,107 islands and mingling with the World's Friendliest People; #5. Uzbekistan: When I went... the Black Market was still in effect where you could exchange dollars for twice the amount of local currency... Very affordable and the blue City of Samarkand is a MUST visit... 2,750 years old; #4. Ukraine: The Cheapest Country in Europe overall and Kiev is the Cheapest Major City. I went out one night and spent $10 and had the time of my life. A sizzling bowl of borscht soup will run you no more than $3; #3. Bolivia: The heart of South America and my favourite country on the continent. I hired a private driver to take me from La Paz to the Uyuni Salt Flats for $50. That's an 8 hour drive each way and don't forget to bike down Death Road; #2. Vietnam: I've spent eight months of my life in Vietnam. Not only is it one of the best all around countries in terms of nature, food and lifestyle, it's also the cheapest in South East Asia; #1. Bangladesh: Similar prices to India but there are zero tourist prices. I spent four days in Dhaka and I was trying to spend money but ended up spending like $15 per day on everything...

Travelling can really be cheap if you prioritize your expenses. Saving money on flights, accommodations and food are essential for cheap travel. When you think about it, these are the things you will remember the least about your trip. You will remember experiences which are usually free...

I had the time of my life in Seoul eating out twice a week and I was making a pretty healthy living $2K a month, but that covers all travel expenses, living expenses, so that was basically pocket money...

Japan is 10 years ahead of the world... It's electric, sexy, tasty, confusing but above all futuristic. The Japanese are innovators...

We've had a 99 percent positive review success rate... for my Travel Hacking Course (Tips, hacks, secrets and resources)...

There's a book am writing...

Myjava Folklore Festival is one of the Biggest of its kind in Central Europe and has been happening every year since 1959 but its traditions go way back before then. People gather in the middle of the forest to celebrate culture and life, dressing, eating and dancing like they did in olden days... In this town of 10,000 people, all you see is smiling faces and relaxation. Nobody is in a hurry. Even at this festival, you don't see anyone on their phones, it's family-friendly, pet-friendly and also really cheap... Who knew that Western Slovakia would be this amazing?

I spent a long time trying to figure this out as there are so many ways to spend money but all things considered, I estimate every country to be about 700 US Dollars; this includes long stays like four months in India and short stays like one day in Monaco. It includes all transportation like flights, trains, buses, taxis, car rentals, cable cars, tuktuks, motorbikes, bicycles, canoes, ferries and cruiseships. It covers all accommodations like Air BnBs, hotels, guesthouses and hostels. It takes care of extra activities like Gorilla trekking in Uganda (Aw man, that was incredible!), Island-hopping in The Philippines, Skydiving in Australia and Safaris in Namibia. And finally it includes other expenses like food, shopping, beer, visas, simcard (I just got a simcard here in Uganda), ATM fees, etc... Some countries are really expensive to visit like Bhutan, North Korea and Norway while others are really cheap like Laos, Bangladesh and Belarus... I am confident with my answer of $700 per country which is about $135,000 total to see every country in the world as a solo traveller... It's the same price as... an Audi RS5. If you ask me, it's a no brainer which one is more valuable...

My 7 Favourite Countries On Earth: I always find good things about each place. There are many different variables that can make or break your experience such as the weather, the hotels, who you hang out with, etc... #7. Czech Republic: Na Zdravi [Cheers]! I lived and studied abroad in Prague in the winter of 2012. The Czech Republic is a great starting point to Europe because it's right in the center so it's easy to take a train or bus to get anywhere in the continent. The Czech Republic is also very cheap, has incredible beer and very genuine people. If you do head to the Czech Republic, don't forget the southern town of Cesky Krumlov, it looks like a fairytale... #5. Tajikistan: Visited for a week and was really surprised by the hospitality of the people. It's located right in Central Asia which has a fascinating culture and Tajikistan just gave me so many surprises. The food was excellent. It was very affordable and once you go into the north, there's a town called Khujand which has the most amazing traditional market (Thank you very much! Spasiba!) #4. Japan: (Konichiwa [Hello]!) Gives you so much of a culture shock. If you've ever seen the movie "Lost In Translation", you really do feel like Bill Murray because you arrive and you just can't read any signs, nobody's speaking English but that's the beauty of Japan. You have Tokyo which is the biggest City but if you try to get out to places like Kyoto which is a former colonial capital of Japan, you will see so many beautiful Buddhist buildings and architecture. Of course, Japan has sushi, ramen and some of the best cuisine on this planet. #3. Vietnam: I spent a total of six months in Vietnam living in Hanoi. What I love so much is the cuisine and the beautiful nature such as Ha Long Bay. If you go in the north of Vietnam, you can also check out Sapa Valley which has beautiful rice terraces in some very remote villages. Of course you have pho, bani mi and spring rolls which you cannot miss and there are so many motorbikes, which actually provide somewhat of a charming feel on the streets. Vietnam is also one of the cheapest countries to visit in the world. #2. Iran: Still raving about my trip there. Absolutely the most beautiful people, the most beautiful culture and it's like going back in time because there is no McDonald's, Starbucks, KFC or any other name brands. Everything in Iran is locally made and locally consumed. I lost count of how many times I was invited into homes for tea and coffee. The people genuinely want you to be happy and it's really one of the Most Misconceived Places in the World... #1. The Philippines: Last but not least is my Favourite Country in the World which I've been 30 times. My favourite islands to go are Siquijor, Boracay, Palawan and Bohol. The people are amazing. The food is underrated and the beaches are absolutely the best in Asia. The Philippines just keeps drawing me back because there are so many things to do and see and the people are so kind. Everybody speaks English which makes life a lot easier as a traveller. I can't wait to go back... next month...

Peace!