Lessons to be learnt from the World Cup Football: An analysis

Mustaque Ahmed *

We have heard much about the violence among the fans of football teams/clubs in Europe and Calcutta. This may be true to the fact that the practice of betting takes place. The betting among the spectators might have involved huge amount of money. This is very bad tradition in the history of sports. But we have to accept the fact that there are crazy fans of football game/famous football players/favorite teams.

Apart from betting, there is a lot of positive side of sports. Spectators of sports feel amusement, fun, entertainment, time pass, etc, by watching matches. Spectators are from various fields of profession, workers, technicians, businessmen, etc. We cannot take time out for sports very often. Many a people in the world seldom are having time to watch 90 minutes play time of a football match. The people of this category go on without fun in their lifetime. Expectedly they have a very busy life.

My interest of watching the matches of the World Cup football this time is downsizing. Because there are some reasons
(1) not a single player from Manipur is playing in it.
(2) India is not there.

I feel so shocking about it. However, I will watch the semifinal matches and the final match, not to be bias myself with the other countries and with the soccer game. We have to work harder to find a place in the World Cup football in the future most probably within 20 years as our target.

We have more than 30 communities/ethnic groups in the state; let’s try our best to contribute famous footballers. Most famous and select 11 will get berth to play in our dream team. What about the players of other states? There are football giants like Bengal, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and the Services. If all the 11 best players turning out to be only from Manipur what is wrong with this. Nothing is wrong with this. Manipur can shine one day considering its past winning patterns.

I wish our children play in the World Cup football one day by producing more and more Golden Tomba, Renedy, Surkumar Singh, Bhaichung Bhutia, I.M. Vijayan, Joe Paul Ancheri, etc. from Manipur. Manipur is regarded as a football loving state. Manipur formed All Manipur Football Association (AMFA) in 1973.

We have a set of hierarchical standard of playing football in Manipur in a systematical manner. Our state players are selected from the district level first, 2nd, 3rd, super-division, and Manipur state league. Alright, we are on the top of Indian football. However, we cannot be self-satisfied by winning some valuable matches. We have to improve in all the faculties of playing football.

What are to be learning from the World Cup football hosted by Brazil is skill. These are not the dress & hair style, and the opening song, etc. Let us try to study more about the offensive & defensive games, organization style of teams, team spirit, unity, ball control, trap, shooting, dribbling, lobbing, footwork, understanding, speed, etc. Let’s try to learn about the best player & the golden boot, the best goal keeper, and the player who gets most red card, etc.

This is about the time that everyone is united in talking about the World Cup football. Football is regarded as most sought after game in the world. Surely we hear of it everywhere. There is a merit in the gossip of the World Cup football. Because Manipur had to win the Santosh Trophy twice. Because we recorded some of the world famous players of football like Alfredo di Stefano, Pele, Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, L. Messi, C. Ronaldo, etc. These players are associated with us in some way or the other.

The reason is that we saw them playing their valuable games within which they somersault, carry balls, kicked the ball in between the goal posts, etc. We gave our valuable time to watch them playing.

This may also be true that we have produced few world class players but not in sufficient numbers to pass the ball to the right player to kick inside the net so that we get the berth in the World Cup. Why is this lagging behind, India is not through for the world cup? Let’s think. Alright, we have started running our clubs/organizations faithfully and systematically not long before.

The first official football match played during the British period in 1854. Then the first football club started in 1857 at Calcutta. We have to recall our history of football to build-up a good future. Is there any pioneer from India esteemed to be remembered so far? Yes, M. A. Salim from Calcutta, India, played barefoot for the Glasgow Celtic (Scottish Club) in early 1930s period. He made the club to win some of its valuable matches. He was the first player from India to play in a European club.

All India Football federation came into being in 1937. India attended in the 1948 London Olympics. India stood fourth in 1956 Olympic Games. We need to retain the glory of 1951 and 1962 where India was Asian football Champion. After these we cannot get the titles back. In the history of football we know the rivalry between the Mohun Bagan and the East Bangal. Hence, the contribution of Bengal is still living with us. Of late Shillong Lajong is one of the famous clubs from the North east.

Then why India cannot return to the fighting field, cannot compete with the players of the other countries. We fail to assemble the best 11 to team India. Number two reason may be due to lack of encouragement. Our practice session of the players may be very less.

To make successful sportspersons we need to create the atmosphere of sports first, this should be given our top priority. Making playground, distribution of sporting items and proper diet to the players are to be prioritized. With these we need to establish School/Academy of sports where we can admit our children to study along with the sports. Then only we can tap the skills/talents of our children. We need to imbibe the values of sports to our children from early childhood.

We say health is wealth. If everyone is healthy there will be significant contribution in the field of sports for the nation. Why Japanese boys and girls are so flexible in their body in playing the martial arts, gymnastics, etc? They learn it very early in the schools/sports academy. We can make our children too by introducing the same facility to them. For making successful in the field of sports we need to earmark some % (percentage) from our GDP for the betterment of sports.