Having fame is not necessarily bad. It is the social recognition of good conduct. When we need to go to a good professional, we ask for someone who has a reputation for doing things well in that profession; we go to a restaurant or a hotel that has a reputation for good food or a good attention. Fame is granted by society - it cannot be bought; it has to be earned - and, in exchange for receiving it, one becomes model of conduct. Fame has a lot to do with the dignity of people. That is why defamation is a bad thing, and that is also why everyone has the right to fame, to a good name. The bad thing is that fame does not have a very good reputation. To be famous nowadays is almost synonymous of being superficial, collector of scandals -when not, of having committed some small or big crime-, cannon fodder for gossip shows and gossip magazines. What they call 'living off the story', let's go.

Being famous must not be easy to bear. I am not referring to bad fame (which some people make their way of life); even good fame (that which has been earned with the effort of doing things well) must be difficult to assimilate. A few weeks ago I was on a plane with a well-known basketball player, who did not stop taking pictures and signing autographs during the whole trip. I admired his patience and the good face with which he bore the burden of being famous.

I remember that years ago, when it was becoming fashionable for judges to be on the front pages of newspapers and books were being written about them, a colleague told us that his father, also a judge, had once told him, many years before, that for justice to work well, people should not know how to put a face or name to judges. It was like saying that justice functioned better with discretion and anonymity, and that notoriety and fame could disorient those who had to impart it. The same could be said of any profession with a minimum of public presence. A few days ago, at the submission of the Prince of Asturias Awards, modesty was cited as a quality of the members of the national soccer team. And famous they certainly are.

Fame demands a certain notoriety and public presence. I have my little moment of fame in this column that I write every three weeks! That public appearance in the forums that correspond to one's profession and official document is essential, and can even be very good and necessary. But when that fame makes you lose your modesty and modesty, become emboldened, and allow yourself to be seen in places and forums that do not correspond to you, you have to start worrying, because fame can start to go to your head and disorient you. I believe that, if we were to do a study, we would find a strong correlation between 'appearing where one should not appear' and lower performance in one's own profession. If this is so, I already have the solution for this year (although I don't know if it is very ethical...): that Mourinho should make an advertising advertisement as soon as possible; if not, we have a hard time.