Best of 2013: Top 5 most memorable football moments of 2013

2. India wins the bid to host the FIFA Under-17 WC –

A population of 1.2 billion and yet we fail to find a single Lionel Messi.

Tracing the footprints of the beautiful game in a cricket-dominated nation is perhaps not the most intelligent thing to do. The statement might sound a tad bit pessimistic, but harsh as it may sound, it is painfully true. Despite holding a plethora of football fans, the country just doesn’t do enough when it comes to producing any notable footballing talent.

The state of football in the country has invited a lot of furore from the football fans in the past. In spite of possessing so many football-kicking youngsters, the platform to perform just doesn’t suffice the talent and its abundance. The footballing infrastructure of the country is abysmal and fails to meet the omnipresent standards.

But that is soon to change. FIFA personally invited India to table a bid to host the 2017 U-17 World Cup, which they went on to win. This only leads to one thing – better infrastructure and more opportunities. The officials have to choose six cities from this shortlist of eight: New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Goa, Pune, Kochi and Guwahati.

If you have a young son who loves football, encourage him to play at a professional level. You may not regret your decision. Here’s your little sneak-peek into the history of the FIFA U-17 World Cup!