The Football World Cup is more popular than the Olympics. Football is a culture in many nations. Although it is cricket which remains the most popular sport in the country, other sports have also gained popularity in recent years.
The emergence of new leagues in football, hockey, and less established sports such as kabaddi is altering the future of Indian sports: athletes now have a worldwide platform to show their skill, and fans now have the option to become more involved in the sport they love.
And the ball is buried in the net!
Why do people love seeing players run about with a ball on the field? I cannot express the delight of watching games in words. Watching football is like watching a wonder. So, where does beauty lie? The first is player coordination.
You may see the ball being passed suddenly from one side of the field to another, and it flies through the gate, all you need to do is open your mouth wide and yell “Goal!!!!” And the ball is buried in the net.
Football’s beauty also comes from the incredible skills of its players, who are incredibly talented players around the globe. They can achieve a task without the help of others. There are many playing styles.
― Jean-Paul Sartre
However, it isn’t just about styles. Football also provides people with intense emotions. When watching a game, the audience feels joyful, startled, furious, or even sad, much like when watching a movie.
You celebrate with the rest of the crowd when your team scores. When your team loses, you bury your face in your hands, unable to exit the stadium. That is an experience; you are not just watching; you are taking part.
In football, there are several ways to describe a goal. Because the verb bury refers to placing anything in the ground that is not returned. If a player buries the ball in the back of the net, the goalkeeper and defense are powerless to stop it. It means that they scored with a hard stroke in this attack.
International Football and Indian Followers:
One would live under a rock if they said that they don’t know Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Lionel Messi is the all-time leading scorer in El Clasico history. This guy is Barcelona’s ideal big-game performer.
Every die-hard fan knows that Cristiano Ronaldo’s nickname is CR7, which combines his initials and favorite number. And the Indian football fans celebrate these legends with such a craze.
The Ballon d’Or is the greatest honor a football player can get. Some of the game’s greatest players have won it. Only a few of them, 10 have won the Ballon d’Or several times. Fewer have yet received the coveted accolade while representing many clubs.
Cristiano Ronaldo has five Ballon d’Or victories. Lionel Messi received a record-breaking seventh Ballon d’Or prize in the 2021 Ballon d’Or presentation. He joined an elite group of players who have won the Ballon d’Or at over one club.
The rivalry between the two players is legendary, and it was fascinating to see the two of them compete for every major award. Counting their accomplishments may take all day. So, let’s leave it there.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup India
The FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, the very first FIFA event hosted in India, had a significant influence on expanding football viewership in India. India reached over 47 million viewers in total. The size grew much larger with the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia.
While Argentina’s final match drew over 34 million viewers in Germany, a country of 82 million people. It would take the entire population of the two football-crazy European nations, Poland and Germany, to outnumber Indian World Cup watchers.
The FIFA U-17 (under 17) World Cup was held in India in 2017, and the games smashed previous attendance records with nearly 1.3 million stadium attendees.
The Chronicle of Indian Football
India has a strong history of popularity and achievement. The Indian team won the gold medal in football for the first time in the 1948 Olympics. We are now ranked 115th out of 206 nations. This shows our dedication to Indian football. We are enthusiastic about the sport, which is admirable.
We have progressed from a single-sport nation to a multi-sport nation. However, to grow sports participation, the country must develop a sports culture through improved infrastructure, more corporate funding, and government promotion.
It will help uncover sports’ financial potential in marketing/sponsorship, sports management, sports products and clothing, sports infrastructure, and sports tourism.
Indian football is booming because of the support and guidance of several individuals and organizations. The Indian Super League (ISL) for football is one such league that is currently building a name for itself in India. Indian footballers are well known across the world for their abilities on the pitch.
Although the game has always been popular in some areas and segments of the nation, like West Bengal, Goa, Kerala, Punjab, and the North-East.
Overcoming hurdles
Badminton is arguably the second most popular sport in our nation. Regardless, Indian football is on the decrease. Indian football encounters stumbling blocks from time to time as it attempts to advance, double back, or change direction. We must overcome many hurdles before the sport can regain its previous splendor.
Even if someone progresses to become a skilled player in any sport, participation in sports has been deliberately discouraged by society in recent times. But the attitude of society is changing.
The Indian people have recognized the value of sports other than cricket. They recognize the importance of supporting the national team regardless of the circumstances. We need to encourage and play football again as a country.
At the local and state level, we must implement drastic steps by promoting world-class clubs and encouraging the upcoming generations to pursue a career in football.
Can India create its Ronaldos and Messis?
