KOZHIKODE: Minister M B Rajesh had recently requested football fans in the state to remove the huge cutouts and hoardings erected to cheer their favourite teams once they get eliminated from the World Cup. However, some of the fans of Brazil and Portugal who are shocked at their teams’ exit in the quarterfinals are yet to respond to the minister’s call.
At Pullavoor in Kozhikode, where the first and the largest cutouts of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo appeared in the middle of a river, the fans of Brazil and Portugal have not yet removed them despite the teams’ ouster. In a Facebook post, Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh issued guidelines and warnings over the use of flex boards by football fans.
He had said that the flex boards should be removed when teams get eliminated. He also said all the cutouts and flex boards across the state must be cleared when the World Cup ends. The minister had also posted a video on his social media account showing Chunangad, a village near Ottapalam taluk in Palakkad, where Brazil fans were seen removing the posters and banners after their team’s exit.
Also, fans have removed the flags of Portugal and Brazil at Ezhara in Kannur district. Rahman Ali, a Brazil Fans Association member from Pullavoor, said, “The team’s elimination doesn’t mean that they are bad players and their cutouts need to be removed immediately. We are die-hard fans of Brazil, and our love towards the team will remain forever.”