Seemed like any other night when I was browsing through twitter on my phone, walking back to my room after a hard day’s work. And as my eyes rested on one particular tweet, I stopped, right in the middle of the road. I couldn’t believe my eyes. “India to host the U-17 FIFA World Cup”, those words danced about as time stood still. I had almost forgotten that we had made a bid for the tournament. Or it was probably because being the conventional pessimistic Indian football fan that I am, who supports and cheers for a top European club rather than the likes of Dempo or East Bengal back home, I had simply dismissed the possibility of it even materializing.
It isn’t our fault that we’ve been conditioned to breed negativity when it comes to football. For example, just after the elation of knowing that we would be hosting a major FIFA tournament for the first time, I was talking about it with a friend. “I think they’ve got to do a lot to make it successful” he said, oblivious of the fact that he should have said “us” and not “they.” And he wasn’t wrong either, after all this is all new to us.
The problem is, we’ve not aimed high enough, and we’ve not tried too hard enough. Our footballing successes are limited to winning inconsequential tournaments like the Nehru Cup. In 2008, we beat the then lowest ranked side (204) in World Football (Bhutan) 2-1, a tournament we went on to lose to Maldives. A year before, we rejoiced when we beat a Cameroon side in a penalty shoot-out 5-4, blatantly ignoring the fact that Cameroon had sent only their second string side. As recently as September 2013, we lost 2-1 to Nepal, who are ranked 165 in the world. Had that happened to the Indian cricket team, there would have been murders, political whirlwinds, burning effigies and news hour debates. But no one bothered, and life went on.
The rights to host the U-17 World Cup though, could change a lot of that. As mentioned earlier, this is the first time that India is hosting an official FIFA event, and that demands serious attention to detail. The gravity of the situation is explicit; if executed wonderfully, India will be on the in the limelight, also staking it’s claim as a serious contender for bigger events in the near future. Also, as the host nation the Indian U-17 team will also feature in the tournament (which is also a first), and the youngsters will have the finest platform there is to catch the eye of top South American, European and African scouts who will be keeping a very keen eye on proceedings for potential and untapped talent. It is not to be taken lightly, as previous editions of the U-17 tournament have produced world class talent, some who are plying their trade with the best sides in the world. Landon Donovan, winner of the Golden Ball in the 1999 edition went on to captain the United States of America, and is today rated one of the best ever to play for the national team. Florent Sinama Pongolle starred in the 2001 edition and later went to feature for English top flight side Liverpool. In the next edition a young man by the name of Francesc Fabregas won the Golden Ball (best player) and the Golden shoe (top scorer) for Spain. Today, he plays for Spanish first division side F.C Barcelona, has won a World Cup and two Euro titles as an integral part of an immensely talented Spanish national side. Toni Kroos featured in the 2007 edition for Germany, and won the Golden ball, and is today one of the World’s finest central midfielders in the World and a vital part of the 2013 Champions League winner’s Bayern Munich side.
Needless to say, this tournament could mark the beginning of a new beginning, but that means complete focus and unwavering dedication over the next 4 years. What is good to see, is that the Indian government is taking up a proactive role in proceedings, assuring the AIFF of financial support. The centre has promised 95 crores (according to the report from NDTV) as assistance to the state governments which will host the event, for the up gradation of stadiums, and an additional 25 crores is earmarked as contingency to ensure the smooth functioning of the tournament. The fact that the government pushed for a second bid after the first one was rejected due to “want of clear guarantees from the government on several subjects which the FIFA wants from a host country” also indicates that we are looking at this tournament with a sense of sincerity and conviction. The initial signs are good, but for India’s name to stay on the footballing map, a lot of work needs to be done behind the scenes.
I heard a joke once that gave me mixed feelings. Three men appear before God, and God grants them a wish each to be fulfilled.
The first one says “I want a beautiful wife.” God says “In 40 years.” The man says “But I’ll be dead by then!”
The second says “I want a Ferrari.” God says “In 60 years.” The man shouts “But I’ll be dead by then!”
The third says “Help India qualify for the FIFA World Cup.” God says “But I’ll be dead by then!”
It is time for jokes like these to be a part of history. Opportunity has not only knocked, but broken down the door, and it’s high time that we make full use of a chance that may or may not come again. The next four years will be critical. For now though, like a typical Indian football fan has always done, let’s just be euphoric about what we’ve achieved. Serious work lies ahead.