The World Cup and Ted Lasso: Believe

Individual talent. Teamwork. Strategy and planning. All were on display at this year’s World Cup. If you happened to catch the final match on Sunday between Argentina and France, beyond seeing one of the greatest final games of any final game in any sport, you also saw something that’s a good lesson for our students: the importance of grit. 

Grit is defined as “courage and resolve; strength of character.” Down 2-0 with just over 10 minutes to play in regulation, to everyone but France the match appeared over. Until it wasn’t. Against the odds, France mounted a furious comeback and sent the match into overtime. And in overtime, after going down by a goal again, they battled back to send it to a shootout. 

In the end, it was Argentina’s (and Lionel Messi’s) well-deserved day as they prevailed in the shootout. But the lesson from France’s play is a strong one: Believe you can and trust the plan, the strategy, the system, and your coaches and teammates. You’re never out of it and anything is possible. 

When your child feels like their back is up against the wall and they feel like throwing in the towel, help them regroup and identify the strategies in their toolbox that will help them push through. The key is to stay in the game and grit it out. Like France on Sunday, they may not “win” but the personal growth and self-confidence that comes from giving it all they’ve got will serve them well the next time they find themselves in a situation that appears to be lost.