I must confess that I’m not a big football fan, but I jump onto the bandwagon once every four years and watch the last few matches of the FIFA World Cup. And what an eclectic final we witnessed, probably one of the greatest matches ever played. Every conceivable emotion that humans are capable of experiencing came alive in a span of three hours across the globe. Joy, sorrow, hope, fear, and passion were not just simmering, but boiling in the same pan. The certainty of Argentina’s success was transformed almost irrevocably in a matter of minutes by the French. However, the exuberance of Mbappe’s youth was eventually silenced by the resilience and wisdom of Messi’s old age.

The morning after the dust had settled, I couldn’t help but think about the similarities between soccer and surgery. It’s a different thing that when soccer players end their careers, surgeons start theirs but every surgery performed on the brain (if not spine) is like a football match—if not always a final, at least always a knockout. It’s you versus the tumour. Only one can win.