Substitutes & The Silent Heroes of Football - HDFC Life

The most important locker room conversations are the ones that take place right before a match. In those pressure-packed moments leading up to the big showdown, the coach amps up the players spirits by delivering a fiery motivational speech that instantly throws them up on their feet. The players discuss last-minute tactics and then talk to each other about trivial things like the traffic to take their minds off the weight of performing well. Sometimes, there is even some chatter about politics, although it is usually playful and never turns into anything serious. And finally, every player performs a routine that helps them focus, like stretching or listening to music. Even the substitutes do this, even though they may not even touch the field.

The possibility of a substitute actually getting to play in a match depends on the level of preparedness of the team. It might be high or low, but that does not exempt them from training just as hard as the other players. They are required to attend every single practice session and master the tactics that are going to be used during the game. The coach nurtures them and invests the same amount of time and energy in them as the others, so that if and when their time comes to perform, they shine. Substitute players are a true investment in that sense, because while they spend most of their time on the bench, the team feels safer knowing that theyre there. That, if something happens to them and they get injured, or if they are simply not performing as well as they should, someone on the sidelines is waiting with outstretched arms to tap them out and continue leading the team towards victory.

So, if you really think about it, substitutes are like a teams insurance policy. In most cases, people desperately hope that they arent needed because that would entail one of the players getting injured, but just knowing that they exist brings them peace of mind. They are rarely in the spotlight and dont even get to do what theyre trained for a lot of times, but when required to perform, they do everything possible to support their teammates and help them fulfil their dreams.

Just like football, life is a team game. And it is impossible to win this game without the support of someone who is there solely for the purpose of easing your mind and taking care of the team when you can no longer be around. In sport, that role is played to perfection by substitutes, and in life, by insurance.