The death of a man in eastern Bangladesh on Tuesday tragically reminded us about the borderless passion that football can generate. A 35-year-old man in Cumilla was fatally struck in a brawl that erupted after Egyptian goalkeeper Shobeir saved Messi’s penalty. This isn’t the first case of extreme football passion among our eastern neighbours. A 2024 report in the Journal of Injury and Violence Research showed that there were 23 deaths in Bangladesh related to clashes between the rival fans of Argentina and Brazil during the 2022 World Cup. Similar passion courses through the veins this side of the border, too, but thankfully not with such a lethal edge. Community leaders in West Bengal and Kerala once used to channelise the youthful energy of football for the greater good. Where are such efforts around this World Cup?
