FIFA World Cup Fever 2010 - Brazil lionel Messi and Ronaldo Popular in Pakistan
Pakistan has never participated in the FIFA World cup but football fans are going crazy about the event. The biggest sporting event besides the Olympics has attracted millions of fans across the globe, and the herd of fans in Pakistan is worth being mentioned.
Karachi, the largest and most populated city of Pakistan has always been the hub of trade, investment, tourism, and almost every other thing that exists on planet Earth. In recent times, Karachi has been plagued by bloody gang wars, floods and above all power cuts.
Despite all these hiccups, the “city of lights” has not failed to keep up with its unprecedented aura. From, Lyari to Clifton and Nusrat Bhutto Colony to Defence, every block is stuffed with soccer fans. Each and every football lover has face-painted themselves with the flag of their favourite team, and others might be wearing the jersey of the team they support. Walls across the streets are chalked up with flags of the participating nations, some flags even tied to the poles on roof tops.
It is strange to find people in Lyari, an old settlement, keen on finding out which of the 32 participating nations lifts the trophy. Despite the fact that it has been an unending host to filthy gang wars and violence, it remains to be the undisputed football capital in Pakistan.
“The security situation in the area is not a concern for these fans,” said Yaqoob Baloch, a football organiser. “They’ve already bought flags and posters of their favourite teams and you’ll see kids having memorised the schedule.”
Lyari has lately been embossed in dirty warfare, but every four years the town sheds on violence with the arrival of the World Cup and people flock together gluing themselves to large screens. A few locals plan to install large screens in Lyari at the Navaline Eagle Chowk and the Lyari Town Office near the South Football House.
A total of 116 clubs are registered in Lyari. A mammoth 75 clubs, of this poverty-struck, violence-drenched community, have arranged television sets to earn the satisfaction of watching the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
People in Pakistan, particularly Lyari and its surrounding areas, are die hard Brazilian supporters, as far as team following is concerned. Lionel Messi from Argentina and Portugal’s Captain Christiano Ronaldo are some of the top players on their lists. Nearly two decades back “Pele” the genius from Brazil was every human being’s ultimate choice. Back then, he ruled the hearts of his fans for over ten years.
This piece of land has given birth to some of the most phenomenal players Pakistan football has ever witnessed and it continues to be the same. Ali Nawaz Baloch, Zafar iqbal, Muhammad Umar, Hussain Killer and Muhammad Khaliq are just a small proportion of the entire legendary talent whose feats have gone unnoticed and brushed aside. It is shocking that this town was a home to all these national team players who once defeated Iran and Turkey in the 1966 World Cup Qualifiers.
Ali Nawaz, former captain Pakistan football team, was honoured with the President’s Pride of Performance Award in 1995 for his services to the national football team in the 1970s. He was of the opinion that after the fall of East Pakistan, presently Bangladesh, in 1971the standard of football being played started deteriorating. Nawaz, added that lack of political backing, negligent administration and poverty have transformed football players and fans into ferocious hooligans.
In 2006, for the first time in the history a private TV network, GEO, and Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) joined hands on establishing the first ever national inter-city football league. The Geo Super Football League or SFL is televised and broadcast on GEO Super.
The inaugural season was held in 2007 with 5 teams participating. The teams were from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta. “Islamabad United” are the current champions after winning the 2007 final against “Karachi Bazigar” on penalties.
The SFL was conceived to develop and promote football in Pakistan. It aims at fusing the budding talent within the streets, by having International players playing with youth and discarding inter departmental team-based games.
It is being hoped and believed that the ongoing FIFA World Cup and the recently born private football league in Pakistan, will give a sigh of relief to the nation in these troubled times. If these legends in the sport were given a fair opportunity to perform in the past, they would have definitely shone for the country and helped in building the roots of football in Pakistan.
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