Colo boat

Nico Paz never thought that football could hurt more than an injury.
It all started when he met Valentín Barco. At first, it was just chats, laughter, and shared training sessions. To everyone else, they were just two friends who got along well. But for Nico, it was much more. Without realizing it, every message from Valentín brightened his day, and every hug after a match made him feel something he had never dared to say.
He kept that feeling hidden for months.
He was afraid of losing their friendship.
One day, he gathered the courage to tell him how he felt. He had imagined a thousand responses, but he never imagined what he was about to hear.
"I'm sorry, Nico... I wanted to tell you sooner, but... I'm dating Jude."
He felt the world stop.
He didn't respond. He only smiled with that fake smile people use when they are trying to keep their voice from breaking. He congratulated him, wished him the best, and walked away.
From that day on, football was no longer the same.
He no longer enjoyed training. He no longer celebrated goals. Every time he saw Valentín happy with Jude, he felt a void that was impossible to explain. He tried to convince himself that he could move on, but the sport he had loved all his life now only reminded him of what he could never have.
Journalists began to notice that something was wrong.
"What's happening to Nico Paz?"
"Why doesn't he smile anymore?"
He never answered.
Until one morning, he published a letter.
"Thank you to football for giving me the best moments of my life. Thank you to every teammate, every coach, and every fan who believed in me. But I no longer have the strength to continue. Sometimes, one loses much more than a match. Today, it is my turn to say goodbye."
The news traveled across the world.
"Nico Paz announces his retirement from football."
No one understood the true reason. To everyone, it was an unexpected decision. Only Valentín, reading those words over and over, began to piece it together.
Too late.
Because Nico had already left the pitches behind, taking with him a love that could never become a reality.