Football fever truly gripped India and fans went crazy when their favourite Argentina won the cup
Call it a change of taste, the impact of the internet, the effect of globalization, or what have you, this time around the football fever truly gripped the country. It almost reached a feverish pitch in the two states of Kerala and West Bengal. Honestly speaking football is the poor cousin of cricket in India and we don’t even get to enter the world cup. But the fanbase of football stars is immense in India, Ronaldo and Messi are almost household names here. A lot of TV sets broke when Brazil lost. But Brazil’s loss was Argentina’s gain. The country had two colours for a while, Blue and White in stripes. And Argentina’s win has been truly elating for the football fans in the country. Sensing the mood of the people the prime minister and Rahul Gandhi also tweeted their joy at Argentina’s win.
Kerala, West Bengal and Goa have been traditionally football hubs where football has been big. Of the three Kerala and West Bengal have been traditional bastions of communists. The first democratically elected government in the world was formed in Kerala. The craze for Lionel Messi was unparalleled in Kerala where a 10-meter statue of football star Lionel Messi was installed and people painted their houses in white and blue stripes. Why such a frenzy for the foreign team which Kerala called “our team”. Maybe people of this communist state identify with the people's struggle there and their long fight for justice and liberty. By the way, Argentina happens to be the revolutionary leader of Che Guevara! Messi and Che both symbolize the will to fight and an indomitable spirit that refuses to say never say die. A similar frenzy gripped Kolkata where football is akin to religion. The city of Kolkata has had a football club since 1872, the first in the country. After Argentina qualified for the World Cup, the streets erupted in cheering and celebration that continued after the final. Now that the world cup is over and Indian football fans are elated with the Argentinian win and Deepika Padukone’s presence in the stadium the cricket fever would return after the sabbatical. Though Indian fans would miss Messi who retires albeit a little early but then they can cherish for the rest of their life that they saw him play the world cup and lift it. Perhaps India has a connect with some South American countries on the far end of the globe. And it is a game of football that bridges the space divide.