Indian Football - Rising from the dark

Cricket is a religion in India. People from all over the country follow the sport like crazy. Yes, the game deserves respect, but giving it all the attention has resulted in poor development of other sports in India.

For example, hockey. How many of us can name more than 5-6 players in the squad? How many of us know the exact rules, the number of players required to contest a match and so on? Very few, I would imagine.

Similar consequences prevailed in football in India not a long time back. For an Indian football player, thinking about playing abroad was just a dream a few years back. However, with recent developments and advances, football in India is slowly but steadily rising from the dark.

In recent years, Indian football has seen back-to-back Nehru Cup wins, and footballing legends like Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and many others have come down to India to shake a leg, and play a charity match or two.

It’s hard for one to believe, that in a country like India – where cricket was all the people could think about – there can be matches of phenomenal magnitude like the ones we’ve seen recently.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that has made football rise in India:

1) Sunil Chettri signing for Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon

A massive celebration broke out when news about Sunil Chhetri‘s transfer to a Portugese club was confirmed. There was a glimmer of hope and cheer for the football fans throughout India, as this was a giant leap. It was the first time an Indian player (after Baichung Bhutia, who never managed to break into the first-team squad) signed for an overseas club. Although he hasn’t made a first-team appearance till now, he is constantly training and trying hard to get on the manager’s good books and would hope to don the Sporting jersey for a first team match soon.

2) India’s new star studded football league

Although this concept hasn’t kick-started as of yet, it will soon; once it does, it will be one of the best leagues Indian football has ever witnessed. It would probably be the end of the viewership which I-league has been receiving. With the legendary ex-Arsenal star Robert Pires and Robbie Fowler having already signed for this league, one can sense the amount of intensity the league is going to bring with it. Let us hope the league kicks-off soon, for the progress of Indian football.

3) Brandon Fernandes- The teenage sensation

After Chhetri, Indian football has witnessed another miracle in the form of this teenage wonder-kid. Brandon has trialed with English club Reading, and recent reports have been suggesting that Reading are expected to bid for him. Brandon, after completing his 2 week trial with Reading, was welcomed to train with second-division side Leicester City, and if he does receive an offer from any of the clubs, it would surely make him the role-model of all the young and budding footballers in India.

4) World Cup – It may be coming to India

The Government of India has given it a thumbs up, and with that, the biggest possible event in Indian football history may be witnessed in half a decade. India are all set to bid for the U-17 World Cup and if things go as planned, India may become hosts to the biggest competition in the history of football, albeit, only at a junior level. India being the host country, will get a direct qualification spot into the competition. And with that, the dream of every footballing fan to see their national team play in the greatest footballing competition would come true.

There are great ifs and buts in many of these cases. However, we can clearly see how football has transformed into a greater entity than it once was in the country. With recent articles about ex-Man United and France player Mikael Silvestre all set to join Dodsal FC and Rohan Rickkets, ex-Arsenal & Spurs player already playing for Dempo (who have confirmed a friendly match against American club LA Galaxy – for whom legendary player Beckham plays for), all we can see is positives for Indian football in the coming years.