"'Some people believe football is a matter of life and death.
I'm very disappointed with that attitude.
I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."
-Bill Shankly
It’s almost the end of summer of 2006. Italy has been crowned the world champions of football. I have just watched an entire Fifa World Cup for the first time and what is about to follow is more than just a love for this beautiful game from me.
There is nothing like it. A dash of adrenaline rushes through your blood when your immortal stars step onto the pitch, emotions flying high as they play for the honor of the team and fans around the world. The match gets underway. It’s really a battle. Reminiscent of the gladiators in Rome fighting amidst the noise of the spectators. It’s like a war. They’re the knights charging towards their opponents with menace. It is the ‘beautiful game’. It’s more like a symphony, really. Players moving across the field in such harmony, passing the ball with such elegance for 90 mins. Beautiful. Soon a player hits a shot towards the target. Thousands of fans hold their breath collectively, the ball flies past the goal keeper, hits the back of the net like a rocket! BANG! Goal! The stadium erupts with cheers. As the players celebrate, a touch of invincibility surges through their veins. A feeling almost orgasmic. A sigh of relief. The culmination of their effort.
Not everyone appreciates the art of this game. Living in a country where cricket dominates the imagination of the common man and especially our esteemed government, it is really depressing to see any other game being completely ignored. Why only cricket? It was heartening to see Ahsam-ul-haq’s incredible Wimbledon (tennis) campaign but unfortunately he had to finance his trip to UK all by himself because all our resources were allocated to Cricket alone! Again, Why only Cricket? It’s such a boring game. Face it, it’s the only sport in the world where the players actually stop for tea!
But ahh.. Football! Week in, week out, cheering for your favorite team. True, there is nothing like it. A game adored by millions, played by many and won by few. I don’t know when will the authorities wake up and promote a worthwhile sport. But I know one thing, my love for this game isn’t going to end anytime soon. ;)
3 comments:
"Thousands of fans hold their breath collectively, the ball flies past the goal keeper, hits the back of the net like a rocket! BANG! Goal! "
BANG!!!! who died :P
i dont know.. the goal keeper.. maybe?? ;)
Every sport is unique in its own way. Football is not the end of the sports in the world and perhaps not the best of the game.
For 90 minutes, fans cheer for their teams, what else do you expect from a fan? Spending a couple of hundreds to enter the stadium and be quiet??
It happens in almost every sports fans are there to enjoy and support their favorite team.
I can see your passion for football and I appreciate it but comparing two different games is not fair enough.
Cricket is a gentleman's game. And its popularity in our culture is the main reason of its domination over other important games such as football, tennis even hockey.
One thing should be clear in all minds that Football has its heights in European and other significant countries but Cricket has its own reputation in ASIA.
I agree with you that our Government should take some serious measures to promote other sports too.
Football is a 90 minutes game but Cricket is a game for their lovers that should go on and on and on!!!!
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