The ISL football fever has gripped the nation and obviously Goa and its football fans here cannot be left behind. This zeal will continue till December 20 and the best part will be witnessed when the GRAND FINAL will be played here in Goa. Hero ISL and FC Goa has succeeded in bringing back football fans in large numbers to the Fatorda stadium. This is really amazing. Among the many genuine football fans are a lot of others who throng to the stadium. They don’t mind getting tickets even at a premium. The craze for the game is growing by the day and more and more people are seen making a beeline for the stadium during home matches. Also, fans remain glued to TV sets during away matches. They have suddenly found a new passion in football. Tiatrs, Mopa Airport, Marinas or the garbage issues are no longer topics of hot debates or discussion at dinner tables in Goa. Instead, football has made inroads. Expectations are running very high. Currently, Zico and his 11-men army are all that matter for football-crazy Goans.
Suddenly, there’s an “expert” in all of us. We are dissecting the game, the moves, the Yellow Cards, the penalties. We are self-made, albeit proud analysts of the game. Even young women are seen taking interest in the game. They also discuss the intricacies of the game.
In reality it doesn’t matter if several fans cannot differentiate between a Free Kick and Spot Kick. Never mind. But their interest in the game and the craze growing daily is a very encouraging sign. As long as the number of soccer fans and especially FC Goa fans keep multiplying, that’s the icing on the cake. Taking ‘selfies’ grinning to glory, hugging your spouse, girl or boyfriend(s) with smart phones is the in-thing these days at the Fatorda Stadium. Digital technology has given a new meaning and a new platform to all those who like to exhibit extravagantly their new found love for football. Digital India seems to be progressing well.
Taking a ‘selfie’ and later uploading the same on the Social Network is as easy as making yourself a instant cup of coffee. Seeing yourself wearing a club jersey, brandishing a club flag with a scarf wrapped round your head, face painted and being seen at the Fatorda stadium blowing an instrument have suddenly become a ‘Status Symbol’ for an average Goan. Back home in the villages, many of our new found football fans will not bother to go out and watch the Feast day football final in their village between two local clubs, but, on the contrary they will not hesitate to travel 50-60 km from any corner of Goa to Fatorda Stadium to be part of the ISL. It’s a good sign indeed. But, patronizing football at the grassroots level is also equally important. Zico, Gregory Arnolin, Romeo, Joffre, Reinaldo, and Mandar have overnight become household names. It won’t be an exaggeration if I say, it was destiny that brought a football legend like Zico to Goan soil and made him a part of our ‘Balcao Chat’. That Goa is changing rapidly would rather be an
understatement. Goa has already changed. Goan football lovers no longer enjoy watching a football match live on a 42-Inch TV screen in the cozy comfort of their home. They want to be part of the action, add to the extravaganza and exercise their vocal chords in full force ‘Forca….Goa’. This change is seen in other spheres too. An average Goan no longer likes to shop for his Sunday clothing at the Dekhne’s in Mapusa, Bombay Bazar in Panjim, the Nationals in Vasco or Babu’s cloth store in Margao, they head straight to the fashionable malls.
Brands and labels matter the most. The exaggerated pricing does not bother them anymore, as long as they are exposed to the brands and labels that spell class. Goa has changed!
But the success of Hero ISL will, however, be complete if and only the government and the sports ministry realize the importance of the game and build a state-of-the-art bigger stadium that can house at least 60,000 spectators. The Fatorda Stadium has no doubt served the Goan football cause to its best ability, but, a with a capacity of around 19,000, it is far too small when compared to the euphoria and the growing interest in the game. However, till that happens, let’s keep up the momentum and cheer for FC Goa.
(The writer is a Konkani Author, Columnist & Freelance Journalist)
