Cristiano Ronaldo believes that the three aspects of reality are pain, uncertainty and constant work. It's easy to understand why: his remarkable road to Germany is a case in point.
It began with the pain of Qatar, where a calamitous campaign left Ronaldo's Portugal future shrouded in uncertainty. However, the hard work that followed has led him all the way back to a major international tournament.
Indeed, as Portugal prepare to kick-off their Euro 2024 campaign on Tuesday against Czech Republic, Ronaldo is not only still in the squad, he's set to start in attack for one of the most talented teams in Germany. There's every chance, then, that, at 39 years of age, a record-breaking international career that appeared set to end in embarrassment, will instead conclude with the most glorious demonstration yet of Ronaldo's remarkable resilience.
Make no mistake about it: this isn't just about Ronaldo enjoying his last dance; after being written off and ridiculed in Qatar. Ronaldo's also determined to have the last laugh in Germany, too.