Kerala has more reasons than one to celebrate the World Cup in Qatar. For one, it will be the closest host nation we’ve ever had. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
Keralites form a sizeable chunk of the Gulf country’s population and they have been adding the much-desired sound and hue in the buildup to football’s showpiece event. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
Thousands from the state will leave for Qatar in time for the kick-off on Sunday. Naturally, the reverberations felt in Kerala this time have to be stronger than ever. (Photo | E Gokul, EPS)
Surprised by the overwhelming response in Kerala to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the football’s world governing body has tweeted a photograph of the giant cut-outs of international footballers raised in a river in Kozhikode. (Photo | E Gokul, EPS)
It was on October 31 that the image was first posted on social media by a group of Argentina fans from Chathamangalam panchayat. It went viral in a short span of time. It eventually provoked the Brazilian fans in the panchayat and soon similar cut-outs of Neymar and Ronaldo appeared next to Messi. (Photo | E Gokul, EPS)
Flags of Germany, France, and Portugal are visible in the cities and outskirts, but the real battle is between the fans of traditional South American rivals Brazil and Argentina. (Photo | E Gokul, EPS)
Most roads, bus shelters, and vehicles are all painted either yellow or light blue and white, the team colours of Brazil and Argentina, respectively. (Photo | E Gokul, EPS)
Cutouts, posters and banners featuring Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo engulf the state’s roads and public places. (Photo | E Gokul, EPS)
A house painted in Brazilian team colours at Arecode in Malappuram, Kerala. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
When the football fever embraced the sports world, the ball punched in by Diego Maradona for his “Hand of God” goal at the 1986 World Cup has been sold at auction for nearly $2.4 million by the referee who missed soccer’s most famous handball. (Photo | TP Sooraj, EPS)
Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian former match official who refereed the quarterfinal game between Argentina and England in Mexico, owned the 36-year-old Adidas ball that was sold at Graham Budd Auctions in London for 2 million pounds ($2.37 million). (Photo | B P Deepu, EPS)
The upcoming World Cup in Qatar will be the first since Maradona’s death. The jersey worn by Maradona against England in 1986 was sold in May 2022 for $9.3 million at an auction. (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
