Soccer, it’s your first love. Your best friend. Your stress reliever. Growing up you couldn’t imagine a day without heading to the field. Until the day comes that you finally do have to hang up your cleats for good. If you haven’t had to say goodbye to the sport yet, count your blessings. But if you have, then you know 23 things to be true.

1. Whenever you walk around in the heat you wish you had these things

Sure, nobody used them past the age of 10, but my God were they a wonder for all the mid summer games.

2. You know what true pain is because you’ve been cleated in the shin once or twice

No matter what brand of shin guard you had or how tightly you secured them, they still found a way to shift around and you wound up getting cleated.

3. You are actually thankful you don’t play anymore because you don’t spend the summer trying to get rid of some weird uniform tan

4. You’re still oddly amazing with your feet

5. You still have your old soccer ball

6. You still try to juggle with said old soccer ball

7. The smell of freshly cut grass instantly brings you back to the field

8. Whenever you see kids playing you contemplate asking them to join

9. You try to work out now, but you can’t deny that you were in the best shape of your life when you played

10. You haven’t found a greater adrenaline rush that scoring the winning goal

11. Just thinking about putting a ball in the back of the net gets your heart rate elevated

12. You still keep in touch with your teammates

13. Running in the rain doesn’t bother you because Coach made you practice even with a monsoon outside

14. You miss the feeling of your cleats on your feet

15. You also know you will never get rid of your cleats

16. You already know you’re signing your kids up for soccer

17. Seeing a ball and resisting the urge to kick it takes true talent

18. You have yet to experience fear as intimidating as having a hand ball in the box

19. You understand the margin for error is so small from all the times you were a centimeter offsides

20. Even though you quit years ago you still find rolls of pre wrap everywhere in your house

21. Whether you quit last month or 10 years ago, your calves are still to die for

22. You have yet to find a suitcase that holds as much clothing as your soccer bag did

Sure, it looks tiny, but this thing holds a soccer ball, 2+ pairs of cleats, 2+ pairs of shin guards, 10+ outfits, a jug of water, and all the pre wrap your heart desires.

23. You still have the same reaction when someone tries to tell you that football is better than soccer

24. You would give anything to go back for one more game