At Dovbaivka it was customary to argue.
About politics.
About the weather.
About moonshine.
But the most terrible disputes began after the words:
- And earlier football was better.
***
That's how it all started this evening.
Old Shepherd was sitting outside the shop.
Count Deberts was counting some of his obscure points.
The finance minister was bankrupt.
Everything was stable.
***
"No, guys," Shepherd said.
- You haven't seen real football.
- And which one was real?
- When Zidane, Raul and Figo played for Real.
***
Respect reigned in the square.
Even young dumbasses have stopped looking at their phones.
***
- This was football.
Not your stats.
Not your xG.
Not your algorithms.
Then Zidane came out.
And everyone knew:
now there will be magic.
***
- And Rivaldo?
- For Barcelona.
- And Cruyff?
- For the Netherlands.
- And Blokhin?
- These are already holy people.
Do not confuse.
***
Gradually the dispute became more and more heated.
They mentioned Shevchenko.
Ribs
Belkevich.
Kosovsky
Goose.
Alkaline
And another hundred football players.
Half of them have already completed their careers.
The second half existed only in memories.
***
- Do you remember Luzhny?
- The car.
- And Kosovsky?
- Rocket.
- And Belkevich?
- He saw the pass before anyone else did.
***
Old dumbasses nodded their heads.
Because in their memories all the players were faster.
Stronger.
And generally better.
***
- And now who?
- Shaparenko.
- Sudakov.
- Tsygankov.
- Yaremchuk.
- Vanat.
- Yamal
***
- Good ones?
- Good ones.
But not those anymore.
***
It was the oldest disease of mankind.
Every generation believed that his football was the last true football.
***
Old Shepherd smiled.
- Do you know why we love football so much?
- Why?
- Because not only football players were young then.
***
The square became quiet.
Even Count Deberts laid down his cards.
***
Somewhere far away in the stadium, children were chasing a ball.
Argued.
Falling
They scored.
They dreamed
And maybe in twenty years they will be sitting next to the store in the same way.
And they will say:
- Eh...
During our time there were Yamal, Sudakov and Shaparenko...
And now it's not the same football.
***
That evening, a new entry appeared in the annals of Dovbaivka:
Old age doesn't start when your knees hurt.
Old age begins when you first say:
"It used to be better."