For anyone who has bowled at least once, the heart beats faster once the World Cup starts. It is impossible to play neutrally. Just move to some slum. Either Brazil, or Argentina. Otherwise, Germany, Italy, or Portugal. This is the religion of football. Once you join this religion, it is difficult to leave. When playing in Qatar, there isn’t a fan who doesn’t feel disappointed that he doesn’t get there and melt into the cheers.
Qatar is one of the second homes for Malayalis. For the people of Malapram, it is closer to home. At least one person in the house is from a country in the Gulf. There are many families in this hilly country whose entire family lines up in the World Cup galleries. There is also the sweat of the expatriates in the flags, banners and flags raised in every alley. All these processions, noises and games tell the story of the debt to that soil. Every social media profile is shouting that this is our World Cup.
After the World Cup, Malayalis started running following seeing Maradona’s amazing feats at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico. At that time, the Malayali’s eyes were drawn to the antennas that were tied to the wires and towered up to the sky. The antennae rose up from the coconut trees like a broom raised to clear the sky. It became a sign of dominance. Maradona hit the ball when his chest was beating when his antennae were flapping in the wind. Those were the days when I prayed for something brighter than ‘Gransie’ to appear on TV.
Gradually, the antennae became more and more dwarfed. Later, they became aluminum bars that were tied to bicycles and traveled to bike shops. Outstretched dish umbrellas came to offer awe-inspiring views over the grand houses.
Cables came with sightings on electric posts and bamboo poles. Gone are the days of DTH. Views have moved from terrestrial broadcast to satellite. A private channel started broadcasting in Kerala a year before Maradona bowed his head like a criminal in the 1994 American World Cup.
The world moves faster than the ball is rolling. Television has become another level with LCD, plasma, LED and smart. From blurry visions to HD With excellence, the playing field has reached directly into the living room. Montcheri will show the game and the field when he came to Qatar from the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Qatar-22 turned out to be an unprecedentedly technical World Cup.
Monchulla views from that soil are full of Facebook and Instagram. To the Europeans who asked if this baby country can afford the World Cup, Qatar is saying, look bhai, this is the World Cup of the new age!
