KOCHI: As another FIFA World Cup approaches, the familiar signs of football fever are returning to Kerala. Streets lined with flags, towering flex boards, animated debates over team selections, and friendly rivalries between fans.
In the narrow lanes of Nazareth in Fort Kochi, preparations for the beautiful game carry a quirky tradition. For several decades, no World Cup season here has been complete without a customary huddle around Reynold aka Romy Chettan — the locality’s beloved ‘football historian’.
Generations of football buffs have grown up around this 73-year-old chronicler of the game, who has spent decades documenting matches, preserving memories, and sharing his passion for football with anyone willing to listen.
Besides the aging thatched roof above his streetside petty shop, little else has changed. Fifty years on, local residents say, the shop remains the bachelor’s home. And football remains his life.
As a child, radio broadcasts and newspapers were his only sources of football news. They still remain dear to him.
“We had to wait a day to hear the results on the radio, and another day for the newspaper to carry the match details,” recalls Romy Chettan. “Excitement would peak during Argentina matches. People would be anxious to know the result.”
Then, in 1990, television arrived. Watching his first football match on screen marked a turning point. “Romy Chettan used to note down every little detail in his books. Whether it was a journey or an incident, he documented everything,” says his nephew, Roy.
Among his treasured collections are notebooks dedicated entirely to football. He also has a treasure trove of newspaper clippings dating back to the 1990s.
Romy Chettan developed his own shorthand system — ‘JM’ for ‘jayam’ (victory), ‘TV’ for ‘tholvi’ (loss), and ‘SM’ for ‘samanila’ (draw), among many other personal notations.
A hardcore Argentina supporter, Romy Chettan’s football heroes range from Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi. Even as cricket craze gripped the country, he introduced football to the children who frequented his shop.
Tom Antony, a neighbour, recalls how Romy Chettan served as “a football encyclopedia” for him and his friends throughout their childhood. “He used to patiently explain about the game and clear all our doubts,” he adds.
Tom believes there was a rub-off effect. “The passion for football among many youngsters in the locality can be traced back to Romy Chettan’s humble shop,” he smiles.
Josemon, another long-time fan of the local legend, echoes the sentiment. “For us Kochites, Romy Uncle has always been an integral part of the World Cup experience,” he gushes.
“Whether it is fixtures, match dates, countdowns, or any football-related information, he always has the answers. Even if we know the details, we huddle around the shop for discussions. It’s like a tradition.”
A quiet man by nature who mostly keeps to himself, football remains the one thing that connects him to the outside world. That’s how local residents describe him.
As the next World Cup draws closer, Romy Chettan has already begun his preparations. Charts are up. The countdown has started, match schedules are being tracked. Nazareth football fans, meanwhile, are preparing their banners and cutouts once again.
Clad in a La Albiceleste jersey, Romy Chettan stands ready for another World Cup journey. One more chapter in a lifelong love affair with football.
Does he expect Argentina to lift the cup? “Victory or loss does not matter. Just enjoy the game,” he says stoically.