A minha causa | Tarantini Ricardo Monteiro | TEDxBraga

Quick Overview

Ricardo Monteiro, known as Tarantini, shares his journey from being a highly protected child of agricultural parents in Baião to becoming a professional football player and eventually achieving a doctorate, emphasizing that continuous learning and pursuing dreams, even those that seem far-fetched like winning the Ballon d'Or, is a lifelong game.

Key Points: Tarantini was born in Baião, District of Porto, to farming parents who instilled a strong work ethic, expecting their children to study and work in agriculture. His childhood dream was to be a professional football player, which was met with resistance from his parents, who felt he should focus on academics. He played football in lower divisions, including Rio Ave and Sporting Clube de Covilhã, and even achieved an average grade of 16 during his studies. Tarantini eventually moved to Porto to study Sports and Physical Education at the University of Porto, while still playing football. He recalls a pivotal moment when his father called him while he was in the car on the way to a final, telling him he wouldn't be playing, which he later realized was his father's way of protecting him from a difficult situation. After his football career, he pursued further education, completing a Master's degree and ultimately a Doctorate, which he considers his personal 'Ballon d'Or'. He concludes by stating that being a 'dream chaser' is a game played for life, illustrating this with an image of a golden football trophy.

Context: The talk is delivered by Ricardo Monteiro, nicknamed Tarantini, a former football player and current assistant coach who speaks at a TEDxBraga event called 'FactorX'. He recounts his personal journey, contrasting his humble, agricultural upbringing with his later professional football career and his dedication to academic pursuits, culminating in achieving a doctorate.

Detailed Analysis

The speaker, Tarantini, begins by introducing himself as a 'dream chaser' whose life has been defined by two fundamental pillars: family (his agricultural roots in Baião, District of Porto) and education. His parents had a vision for their children to study and work the land, which conflicted with his childhood desire to play professional football, a dream he intensely pursued despite initial resistance. He recounts driving 78,000 km in his father's car to take him to training sessions, illustrating his dedication. He recalls attending university in Porto while playing for Rio Ave and Sporting de Covilhã, managing to complete his degree in Sports and Physical Education. A key anecdote involves his father calling him just before a cup final to tell him he wouldn't play, a form of protection that felt like a shock at the time. Later in life, after his playing career ended, he continued his education, obtaining a Master's and then a Doctorate, which he equates to winning the Ballon d'Or—his greatest achievement. He shows a newspaper clipping about his low-cost triumphs at Rio Ave and a picture of himself in academic robes upon receiving his doctorate. He emphasizes that chasing dreams is a lifelong endeavor, contrasting the early dream of playing football with the later, successful pursuit of academic excellence.