Friday 6 June at Marlyebone café , Baker street , London around 7 pm 5 guys were having a discussion on football world cup about to begin in a few days. 4 of the 5 were second generation British, what I mean is one was Indian origin, two Chinese Malaysian, one American who lived in Australia for a long time yet all were British citizen. 5th person was an Indian visiting London. All 4 British citizen were realistic to agree they will not win and kept on discussing challenges their team faced including educating the visitor that Bale did not play for England but for welsh. Upon being challenged by the Indian visitor that England’s chances of reaching last 16 were bleak they all came together in national pride to challenge the Indian and conversation went something like this:
“Where is India in the world cup?”
“India does not play football, we are not a football crazy
nation. We are a cricket crazy nation and we are the world champs”
“Oh really! Anyways we also won in 1966”
“That was 66 dude! We won in last cricket world cup”
“Ok, Ok . We will make it to the quarters. I am absolutely
sure”. This making to quarter final made them agree more in national pride than
confidence in the team.
“Wanna bet that you will not make it?”
“Sure done. Next time
be ready to pay for the bet.” Post this usual banter we all moved
to the next beer.
If you have not guessed, that Indian visitor was me. On the
flight back I replayed that conversation and was clearly surprised not by their
reaction but with the thought how England had been able to unite them in pride
for the team. That I thought was the magic of football and the most followed game
in the world. I started to think.
As life takes turns, you grow up , get a job , get married ,
some again get married , have kids , travel the world, earn name and fame and
hopefully money , some get old and some always remain young thus many things change but among few things
that remain constant is the team /s you follow and support be it any sport.
When your team wins you are ecstatic, when it loses you come
to work next day, shrug your shoulders say few inane things and get on with
life. Yet next time you are in front of the TV set cheering it on and life goes
on. Life is going to come to a standstill for many millions around the world beginning
12 June and will turn in ecstasy or pain depending upon how their team does and
finally on 12 July everyone will move on.
Football is supposedly the most
followed game in the world so emotions will run high. Even if their country is
not playing people have their favorites and passion flows. Fandom is much much
bigger than the game itself.
This blog is my analysis of teams and people who matter and
a tribute to the fandom of football from a guy whose country has not qualified
for many many years and does not look like it will for at least next 20 years.
What the heck! Who says I have no right to opine on it anyways.
What better place to begin than current champions Spain. I
think their Hero is their Coach Vincente Del Bosque. The man who is known for
Tiki Taka style but ensures his team has more to offer. He is the man who has
worked hard to unite Spain and its many clubs into a national force. He has
brought the Catalans, Basques and Castilians to play for ‘La roja’. Inesta did
score the winning goal in last final but the person behind it was Del Bosque.
Man who has been able to get Xavi and Cassilas to recognize strength of
friendship in national team above the animosity of Barca and Real Madrid.
If I talk about Spain and its clubs How can one not talk
about Messi? I surely think he is the ‘Messiah’ Argentine is looking towards
for salvation. Their best player since Maradona but has a looked a pale shadow
of his great self in last one year. Some say he is keeping his best for the big
stage, others feel he did not play his best because he is not wanting to be
injured and stories go on. No doubt Messi is great because you do not win 4 ballons
D’OR and that too consecutively. What will be important to see is how he along
with Aguero, Di Maria, and Higuain is able to create the magic that Argentinians love
in their heros and football. If these four fail team has not much to offer and
we are staring at a national mourning in the South American nation.
Next I want to mention man who has been I feel for years ignored and never got his due- Andrea Pirlo. The Italian who was the architect
of 2006 Italian victory at 35 this is surely his time to take the centre stage.
He has won the world cup so knows about the madness and also knows this is his
last chance. The man who plays to pass and set up shots for others will surely
want to ensure he gets the free kick to seal it off. After all he practices the
free kick leaving nothing to chance. Italy can never be ruled out in the WC no
matter how bad the team is and this time they look to have a balanced squad and
the effervescent Mario Balotelli. So rule them out at your own peril.
Cristiano Ronaldo! My Favorite footballer. If he continues
to be in the form that has been all season then all Portugal have to do is let
him weave the magic. There will be a few grumpy faces made for
the camera, few growls of pumping the adrenalin, few looks to opponents , many
pleads with umpires on being wronged but then what is football without its
share of Drama and who better than Ronaldo and what better a stage then a WC in
Brazil. Imagine having a team of Ronaldo, Pepe, Alves, Patricio, Nani, and not
being a tournament Favorite. That has been the story of Portugal. Falter to deceive
at the big stage.
That takes me Neymar Junior and Brazil. Next Pele? I don’t know
but at 22 he is surely an outstanding talent and the only reason or hope that Brazil
remains excited about this WC. If he wins it for Brazil all protest that we
have been watching on TV will have been forgotten. He plays as a Brazilian with
his dribbles and amazing ball skills and of course style. Being awarded Golden
Ball in Confederations cup and winning it at home for his country ensures that
he keeps Brazil as a big favorite in this WC too like it has been in many
others.
England. They still have to overcome 2 things before they
can be champions. One they have to wake up and realize that this is 2014 and
not 1966 anymore. Second they have to realize Penalty shootout are a part of
the game and they can win a shootout. For a team that has lost six out of seven
shoot outs in almost all major tournaments it is natural to be in fear. When supporters
talk about goals and heroes and Rooney and even 1966, the heart misses the beat
to ask “what if it goes into penalty shootout”. I am sticking my neck out to say
they will not make it beyond group stage. If they make it to the Quarters its
time Queen declared a national holiday.
I don’t think I can write about all teams and before you run
out of patience (if not already) let me sum up a few other teams.
Germany looks to be most well balanced team with experience
and youth and have been preparing hard but this is South America. Do they have
it in them? They will have to dig in deep and give it their all. Joachim Loew
has a big task at hand but never say never. It’s the Fatherland.
France without Ribery is not an exciting proposition but
they have Benzema , Giroud and other players to take them the distance. It’s a wait
and watch for them.
Netherlands were runners up last year and face Spain in
their first match. Robben and Van Persie will have to set the tone if their campaign
has to impress.
Next I was thinking who will be the surprise package this
year. Well there quite a few contenders in Colombia, Belgium, Russia and Bosnia
– Herzegovina. Watch out for Belgium this time.
So in the end what does all this come to? I think two words:
National Redemption.
Any team that wins it will in some way or other redeem
itself and the nation in this time where every country has very little to give
it hope and rare moments for people to come together and celebrate their nationhood.
Fandom will translate finally into Nationdom! That is a good reason to cheer. For people like me we will cheer for a hope that someday
India will participate. Till then let the beer flow...
Thank you: Kunal, Daniel, David and Alan for great evening
guys and for giving me my first blog of 2014.
