Recently, a private television network aired a series about famous soccer rivals. The series featured, for example, Rangers FC's rivalry with Celtic FC in Glasgow, Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, and Boca Juniors and River Plate in Buenos Aires. It looked at the history behind these feuds, which were burdened not only by over a century of wins and losses on the field but also marked by religious and socioeconomic divides outside of it.

The programme captured the extreme lengths to which fans from these clubs would go to express their hatred for one another, and while outsiders might find this hard to understand, it reminded me a little of my past.

I too, grew up in an environment of extreme rivalry.

My school excelled in various sports and cultivated rivalries with other distinguished schools over the years. The school put a lot of emphasis on these sporting events, constantly asking its students to participate. As a result, while I was not a member of any team, I was coerced more than once to join the cheerleading groups. The second I saw my fellow students compete, however, I no longer felt bad about being "conscripted" as I became instantly caught up in the team spirit. The atmosphere was contagious, with everybody rooting for their respective teams. This, of course, was what competition was like between rival schools.

Such rivalries continued, sometimes escalating, when I moved into the halls of my university. My hall mates and I would often take these "inter-hall" sports competitions very seriously. We'd shave our heads and paint our faces before the match to show our mettle and resolve, and there would inevitably be some crying afterward regardless of whether our teams won or lost… But behind it all were our blood and sweat, our team spirit, and most importantly, a proud sense of belonging.

Some might think that fierce rivalries bring only sorrow and hatred. Others, myself included, have experienced them and know that rivalries go a long way toward understanding and loving your team. They've even motivated me to work harder and put in more effort. Perhaps those who created rivalries wanted us to learn this.

By Tuta

*Translation from Chinese article.