Final answer:
The theme of the passage is the challenges and realities of being a professional athlete, highlighting the hard work and commitment necessary to excel in sports.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theme of the passage that discusses everyone in Uruguay being born to love soccer, the narrator's personal experience with the sport, and the notion of being a professional athlete is arguably the challenges and realities of being a professional athlete. While the passage mentions several elements, including cultural love for soccer and the narrator's lack of talent, the overarching theme seems to be the complexities of what it means to be a professional athlete, beyond the surface-level perception of fun. It recognizes the hard work, commitment, and mental toughness required to succeed in sports at a high level.
Considering the love for soccer in Uruguay is touched upon as a given, but not the central message, and the narrator's personal inability to play soccer well is mentioned only in passing, it's the deeper insight into the professional athlete's experience that serves as the main focus. While the fun aspects of the job are acknowledged, the text primarily revolves around the hard work and dedication needed to flourish in the competitive world of sports, suggesting a dual nature of enjoyment and effort in the life of an athlete.