The T20 series between India and Australia may be underway, but the tournament that is gathering more eyeballs and dining table conversations is the ongoing Fifa Under 17 World Cup in India. Bengaluru is not playing host to the tournament but is keenly following the fortunes of the top teams in the fray, and of debutants India.
K.Sudhir, an IT systems specialist spends much of his commute, following the U-17 football action on his phone. “This is the first time I am following a junior World Cup. At this level, teams are more evenly matched and the games are more entertaining. I enjoyed the Spain-Brazil game. India has played well. I hope that this becomes a building point for a team of the future. I feel that the popularity of leagues such as the Indian Super League would result in more talent being unearthed and more money coming into football. The huge popularity of international leagues is proof that there is a huge fan base for the game in India."
For architect and Bengaluru FC fan, Kaushik Prasad, Bengaluru not being one of the venues for the tournament was a disappointment. “I wonder why they decided to play in the humidity of Delhi and skipped playing in Bengaluru. I have watched almost all the major league matches. I think that Chile and Brazil have the potential to go all the way.”
He adds, “The World Cup is one of the best things that has happened to football in India. I am confident that in the near future we will be able to reach the top levels in football. This is a major stepping stone. India needs to play more, especially at this level.”
IT specialist by day and a football coach in the evening, Justin K points out, I feel that the buzz created by non-cricket tournaments is vital for other sports in India. Over the past few weeks, I have seen parents come with their kids to practice sessions. With the influx of international leagues on our TV screens, interest in football has grown manifold. Such tournaments will end the stranglehold cricket has in the popular imagination in India.”
Justin manages a small team in HRBR layout and says that awareness about the game and interest in it has increased manifold over the years. “The English and Spanish leagues and its players are extremely popular. Earlier, kids and parents would be hooked on to football only during the World Cup. That has begun to change with satellite television and the internet making sure that you can follow a game from anywhere in the world.” College student Keshav believes that India will soon emerge as a footballing superpower. “The standards have been improving every year. We have put up a good fight in the U-17 tournament. It will result in better performances.”
