By Gasper Crasto, Kuwait What was football like among Indians a few years back? What is different in football now than those days? How much has football changed now?
The history of Indian football is somewhat the same as a human life, constantly changing. One thing that doesn't change are the great memories of people who have been into the game over the years.
While we all remember matches that evoked of sentiment, generally football players are more fond than not of recalling and recounting the past. Do you remember your first match? Your first goal? The first time someone whacked your shin (nollo) with their boot? The storytelling, good memories, and shared experiences become part of the lore of the sport and part of what gets passed on to new players and youngsters.
Arguably the most popular game on earth and among Goans, football has unified and encouraged individuals, villagers and communities among the expatriates in Kuwait. For most, football is not just a game, but an event with a wide spectrum of influence. Indeed, for many years, almost every Goan here has enjoyed kicking a ball.
More than just a sport, football here is a ‘cultural’ phenomenon in which the village dramas and individual athletic rivalries are played out sparking the imagination and passion of many players and spectators.
The growth of football here, by and large, is probably tied to the Goan traditions. Some traditions have survived through the telling of stories by people who remember the ‘good old days’ and are willing to talk about them. Others are lost until someone digs back and the history becomes part of everyone's knowledge.
Among the heroes and history makers among Indian footballers in Kuwait, there was once a club popularly known as Incredible. Read More...
