MALAPPURAM: Kerala is once again gripped by football fever as fan clubs across the state gear up for the FIFA World Cup season with massive cut-outs, flex boards and colourful displays celebrating their favourite teams and stars.
This year’s celebrations carry an added emotional touch, with football legends Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar expected to play what many fans believe could be their final World Cup. The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 11 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Supporters across the state have united under banners carrying the slogan ‘One Last Dance’, reflecting the emotions surrounding the iconic trio. Streets across Malappuram, widely regarded as the Mecca of football in Kerala, are already lined with Argentine, Brazilian, Portuguese, Spain, France and many other national flags and banners.
Similar scenes are unfolding in several districts as fan groups revive Kerala’s famous World Cup culture of giant flex wars and public celebrations. In Kongad, Palakkad, Argentina supporters have installed a massive 160-foot-wide flex board as part of the celebrations.
Fans say preparations began slightly later this year because of the election season, but enthusiasm has rapidly picked up with the World Cup approaching. Sevens Football state general secretary and Super Studio Sevens football team owner Asraf Bhava said fan celebrations initially began on social media before slowly moving to the streets.
“Earlier, fan celebrations would begin at street corners with flex boards and giant cut-outs of favourite stars. This time, it started mainly on social media. Now, with barely two weeks left for the World Cup kick-off, fans are coming out on to the streets.
Last week, the Malappuram municipality launched celebrations by building a giant football-leg sculpture made entirely from plastic bottles collected by Haritha Karma Sena workers. Fan associations have now started putting up banners, flags and decorations across the streets. In every streets and every junction in Malappuram, football fans has put up flex boards supporting their favourite players and teams,” he said.
This year, however, fans say there is a noticeable change in attitude as Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar are all expected to retire after the World Cup. “Last time, fans were extremely fanatical about their respective teams. We saw fights over cut-outs and banners between Argentina, Brazil and Portugal supporters.
But this time, fans have realised that these legends may be playing their final World Cup. That is why we are seeing so many ‘One Last Dance’ flex boards featuring Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar together. They are legends of the game and, once they retire, there will be no barriers between fans in supporting them. However with world cup fever grips in we will see many fans fights,” Asraf added.
Former India international footballer U Sharaf Ali said factors such as election, school reopening and match timings slightly delayed the celebrations. “During the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Malayalees were especially excited because the tournament was happening nearby.
Many fans were able to travel to Qatar and watch matches live. There was also a strong emotional connection as people wanted to see Messi finally lift the trophy. Since Argentina won the World Cup last time, the emotional intensity was slightly lower at the beginning.
However, with days nearing closer to the inaugural match fans are coming out to streets to support their favourite teams. Once the World Cup begins, streets and stadiums across Kerala will be filled with fans, screenings and celebrations,” he said.
Football fandom in Kerala has long attracted international attention for its scale and passion, especially in the northern districts where giant cut-outs and themed displays have become a tradition. During the 2022 World Cup, Argentina fans in Malappuram erected a 30-foot-tall cut-out of Messi in the Kurungattu Kadavu River at Pullavoor.
Brazil supporters responded with a 40-foot-tall cut-out of Neymar at the same location. Within days, Portugal fans joined in by installing a 60-foot cut-out of Ronaldo nearby. The towering displays went viral globally, with FIFA’s official social media handles sharing images of the three giant cut-outs standing side by side.