A novice caught in the frenzy

People are so caught up with work and the numerous petty, time-consuming tasks that they can’t keep count of the matches and their times

I am a tennis fan and know nothing about football except that the teams consist of eleven players, of whom the goalkeeper guards the goalpost. But during the FIFA 2022 World Cup, there was tremendous excitement in the air, with names like Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Kane, and Mbappe springing up every so often. Is it any wonder that I caught the virus in a household that definitely had football fever?

When I happened to mention that at the opening match, Iran didn’t sing its national anthem in protest of the prevailing agitation in its country, every male member of my family looked at me in amazement, mixed with a tinge of respect, dare I say? I seemed to have floored them.

Starting then, I surprised the football fans in my family with bits of information that they readily lapped up. The news of my newfound interest in football spread rapidly among my extended family. Everyone seemed astonished, mixed with a bit of admiration. I was puzzled by the admiration part. With everyone talking football from dawn till dusk, was it so inexplicable that I was drawn in without my being aware of it?

I liked cricket when it consisted of five-day test matches and three-day fixtures. But with the one-day, half-day, and T20 formats becoming popular, the game has ceased to interest me.

People are so caught up with work and the numerous petty, time-consuming tasks that govern modern life that they can’t keep count of the matches and their times. It is left to a novice like me to inform them about the match fixtures, the countries that are playing, the time of the match, etc. I did the job meticulously. And then I sat back, literally. Well, they also serve those who attend to small details.

I watched the spectators. Their joy when their favourites scored; their disappointment when they were denied; their costumes, drums, bugles, dances, and songs I also liked to watch the teams enter the field and sing their national anthems with great fervour.

The enthusiasts watched the matches, their eyes glued to the TV screen, not moving till break time and grabbing something to eat and a hot drink (to ease their parched throats because their voices have been working overtime). The World Cup football tournament, with Argentina winning, is over, but the discussions continued long after. Who should have played who, and how were chances utilised or opportunities squandered? The argument over who should have done what raged on. The way they praised some players and condemned others made me wonder why they weren’t on the selection panel. Finally, the heated arguments on who should have done what became less voluble and then petered out.

Peace will prevail until the next World Cup.