gaspersWorld

Every football season has a different story to tell. New stars are born and some teams shine better than the best that played in the past. 

Each year, we all like to glorify or contradict our own imagination from one era to the other, and drift towards a more stylish, 'panoramic' European game. 

Barring a few household names like Bhaichung Bhutia, Bruno Coutinho, I.M. Vijayan, Savio Medeira, etc, Indian fans have hardly recognized, accepted or idolized current blend of footballers as class. 

When we watch, discuss our own football at the stadium or watch it on TV, we often hear mistakes being pointed out in comparison to world class players:

“If you see Messi, you will think these guys are learning football...”” 

“What a lovely game it was last night; such super goals... did you see..!””  

“Shh, there can't be any player like Messi, Pele, or Maradona..” 

“We will not have another Bruno or Vijayan in India; there are no teams like those teams...”” “
Well, the standard of Indian football, by any degree is ’unmoved’ over the years (our international rating, however, is a different topic altogether). Infact the standard is much superior in recent times although we don’t see many ‘stars’ shining. It is perhaps more advanced and organized and to a better level than ever before. 

But what we fail to see, is the advancement of other countries, and the revolution of football through High Definition ‘HD’ television that has lazed the young genre into fantasizing a ‘game’ that is perhaps beyond our reach. 

The spectators are fluxed with negative dreams from watching too much of ‘live’ telecast of European games that has left everyone ‘corrupted’.  Most of the kids and even elders (esp. on social media) compare ‘our’ football to teams, players, and the standard of the west:

“Did you see Ronaldo’s goal last night?.. Wow..…what a free-kick...!”” 

“Neymar’s dribbling? Gareth Bale’s speed?.. Just out of this world...”
   
The kids are totally captivated with ‘foreign’ football which is evident from their ‘Timelines’, debates, and the latest ‘jerseys’ of their idols that they sport. 

However, there are other passionate football lovers. Be it televised or live, they are first to be on the grounds and last to leave, and they sit glued to TV long after a match is over. They live, talk, sleep and dream -- only football. 

There are other fanatics who back their teams and heroes irrelevant of a win or loss. Nothing moves their loyalty.   

Yet others who practice, play, watch, discuss and promote the game with dedicated worship without any personal benefits. 

And still others who are ‘die-hard’ fans of Manchester, Liverpool, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Brazil, Germany, etc, and of Messis, Ronaldos, Ibrahimovics, Rooneys, etc, whom they have seen playing only on TV. 

Some fans may not actually understand difference between a goal line and a touch line, goal area or goalkeeper’s area, free kick and goal kick, soccer or football, geometry or geography. All they see is:

“Wow...what a game...what a goal..!!!”” 

We know that football shown on TV is a televised business played at the highest, supreme level of the sport -- where some players earn more per match than what some of our top Indian filmstars earn for a movie. 

We often notice that people who compare the game are, on an average, quite educated, no doubt. And football is perhaps the only perfect game they understand. Some have never kicked a ball all life or experienced the feel of ‘balls’ or smell of the grass. 

Yet, when we hear their comments, some of us get carried away to agree. Can we really compare Indian football to Champions League or televised football? Is it really wise? 

“Why do you always talk about European football?” I heard a well-known player asking one spectator - a regular critic of the game.

“Why, shouldn't I talk? I am big fan of European football. Shouldn't I support my team?” the man asked.

“Ofcourse you can.. But why compare it to our Indian football? There's a difference of heaven and earth between them and us, we know that. What do you know about football?” 

“What do I know? I watch all the games on TV. What if I don’t know to cook, I know the taste of food...” was the answer. 

“What do you think of Indian football?” the player asked.

“Indian football is bullshit..!” the man said.

Haven't you heard this kinda talk before? Now, do you think this is true?

The truth about our football, which, apart from helping us to remain fit in mind and body is that, it unites us together in culture and friendship, and identifies us with the traditional roots of 'our' game. 

A true lover of our country should himself imagine to be playing the sport. It is 'we' that make the game. Let our defeat be India’s defeat, and our victory be India's victory. 

Each victory should inch our nation to world success. 

Photograph (top): Tourists enjoy a game in the rain with local boys at the Maidan, Central Culcutta.