It's here. Almost here.T minus One Day . And this year it kicks off at 00:00 hrs on June 13, GMT +4:00. That's the time in Dubai, UAE, where I live.
Co-incidentally, at probably the exact time either Brazil or Croatia kicks off the World Cup, I will turn 24.
Not a bad way to turn 24. I could probably later brag that billions around the world were cheering when I turned 24. A poor joke that would probably lead to people rolling their eyes in horror of the 'lameness' I had just uttered.
The World Cup. Brazil. These two are marriage made in heaven. Except, the news reports (the one's that get reported) are the exact opposite. A divorce. A rude awakening. Brazil is not a nation where you could offer a football to a child or issues can be sorted out by a football match. The media is to blame for this unfortunate caricature of a nation rich with culture, curves (I could not resist) and heritage. It is very much a nation going through turmoil. It has been for years. The government is run by corrupt bureaucrats. Policemen flash jewellery that they in no way can afford. And the public is revolting. Protests are probably being held as I write this. So what's new you say? Aren't there revolts everywhere in the world. Governments rise, fall, rise and fall again. Its the natural cycle of governments. But this is the World Cup! Imagine the amount of revenue that the country will generate you say!. Except, this isn't the World Cup.
It's called the FIFA World Cup. FIFA. I play that game religiously almost everyday. FIFA.
Diego Maradona recently called the organization an ugly power.
He dosen't mince his words. Never has. Bless Him. What a man!. What a player!. Legend!. Right, lets get back on track. FIFA. Where do I begin. If only there was an easier way to explain the problem with FIFA. Fortunately, There is. Readers (if at all any of you are reading) I give you Mr. John Oliver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlJEt2KU33I
Brilliant, ain't it?
Being in the Middle East, I was immensely pleased when Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup. But no sooner than they announced it, the first thought that popped into my head was 'Why?'. I've played in the heat before. 45-50 degrees Celsius or so.Apart from going 6 shades darker and a massive headache, I enjoyed playing in the sun. This was 8-10 years ago. High School. An obese teenager running behind a ball and smashing it with all the power his legs could muster (not much). Now compare this to athletes playing at a supernatural level. They would be exhausted. Air-conditioned stadiums have been proposed. For a nation touted to be a proponent of going green, this proposal would ensure that the environmental-friendly tag will sink towards the trenches of the deep oceans.
However, part of me still wishes that the World Cup should be held in Qatar. You have all sorts of issues: labourers being misused, corruption claims, etc. But the World Cup so close to where I live? How can i turn that down? I should. If it is held in Qatar, I probably will go to the tournament so that I can fulfill my dream of watching the World Cup live in a stadium. If it isn't, I'd probably watch it on TV slightly disappointed but surely more at peace with my conflicted mind.
Note: This is all being written assuming I pursue my current standard of living, which is not bad at all. If I hit the jackpot in the next 2-4 years, I'm off to Russia to see the World Cup. Heh. So there.
Despite all of the glaring issues, just like John Oliver said, I know that I will be part of billions around the world cheering on the games every night for the next 30 days.
Here's David Luiz being awesome.
Why? Why you do this to us? Why? You were the chosen one! The next captain. PSG. Dammit. Bloody PSG. I can't hate this man. But he's just added more fuel to the desire to watch Brazil fail and Argentina succeed. Thanks for the 50 million geezer. You will be sorely missed.
- Anil
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