How do you inspire the kids that just dont want to learn? A critical pedagogy that uses real-life examples can help says Neil Speirs (University of Edinburgh), who reckons that the positive and negative life experiences of footballers " sometimes not the most obvious academic role models out there " can work for many young people. More Messi and Ronaldo might just be the answer. The result is a relevant curriculum for everyone while filling our classrooms with the joy and hope of the beautiful game and its finest exponents.