Giant cutouts of Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo on a Kerala river. (Twitter/FIFA.com)India is predominantly known across the world as a cricket loving nation but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Even though the Indian football team is not as widely successful as its cricketing counterpart, it has widespread support from all around the country. In club level, India houses the fierce rivalry in East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan, often considered one of the biggest derbies in the world. As the Qatar World Cup gets closer, the excitement levels here have reached fever pitch.
Kerala, known for its love for the beautiful game, has upped the ante this time around when giant cutouts of Brazil superstar Neymar, Portuguese talisman Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s magician Lionel Messi popped up on a local river ahead of the tournament.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan quote tweeted a photo which was shared by FIFA.com, saying “Kerala and Keralites have always loved football and it is on full display with #Qatar2022 around the corner. Thank you @FIFAcom for acknowledging our unmatched passion for the sport.”
Kerala and Keralites have always loved football and it is on full display with #Qatar2022 around the corner. Thank you @FIFAcom for acknowledging our unmatched passion for the sport. https://t.co/M4ZvRiZUvh
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) November 8, 2022
Meanwhile, with just 12 days left for the greatest show on earth, Qatar, the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup has come under intense pressure in recent years for its treatment of foreign workers and restrictive social laws.
The latest controversy arose on Tuesday when a Qatar World Cup ambassador told German television broadcaster ZDF that homosexuality was “damage in the mind” which received criticism from all corners of the world.