KOCHI: During the FIFA World Cup season, football fans do all kinds of crazy things to express their love for the game. What 17 football fans in Kochi have done is even crazier, taking love of soccer to a different level.
They bought an old house put up for sale at Mundakkamugal, near Kangarapady in Kochi, for Rs 23 lakh. The purpose: To watch the world cup season with friends. “Because no match is enjoyable without loud cheering and fun,” said P K Harris, one of the buyers of the house in three cents of land.
Weeks before the game began, Harris and his group of friends were in search of an area to screen the World Cup. “Most of the open spaces we used to screen were either sold or built on.”That’s when we came to know about the sale and pooled in money to buy the house,” said Harris, who is a PWD contractor.
The group consists of fans supporting Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, and France teams mostly. “The idea of investing in the property is to celebrate every world cup season as we did for the past 15 or more years, and for the coming generation,” said Harris.
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The football friends have decorated the house with the flags of the 32 teams participating in the world cup, along with portraits of football stars Lionel Messi and Neymar drawn on the walls.
“A 50-inch television and internet facility has been set up here. Everyone in the area is welcome to watch the match,” said Sheefer P A, also one of the buyers.
On Tuesday, the vibe around the house was loud as the match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia was screened on the veranda. “The fun of teasing while the other person’s team losing and also cheering for our favourite team is the best part of the season,” said Harris. “It’s all friendly banter with each other,” he added. Of the 17 friends, two are working abroad.
“After the world cup season, we plan to construct a three-storey building. The first and second floors will be rented out to the needy to either set up a shop or anything, and the top floor will be dedicated space for screening the world cup in the coming years and setting up a sports club-like area for the coming generation,” he added.