A FOOTBALL
MATCH.
A football match perhaps is the most popular of all amusements
all over the world. It attracts hundreds of thousands of eager, enthusiastic
spectators. Possibly his popularity is due to the concentration of thrills and
excitement with the space of an hour and a half that the game takes. To witness
such a game is good relaxation after the day’s hard work.
To describe a football match requires a poet’s pen. It has an epic
character. It the teams are evenly matched the game rises to the height of a
heroic conflict a match between Mohan Bagan and East Bengal is splendid sport
any day. Though not a football fan myself, I cannot help sharing in the general
enthusiasm whenever there is an encounter between these two teams. I shall
describe one such occasion and how I took it.
From the very moment of
queuing up for entrance the excitement began. First, there was the struggle for
tickets; then a struggle for entry. Each of the two teams enjoys a big reputation
all over the country. It has been built up through years of solid football.
Neutrality is impossible; - you may support either one team or the other. And
the two clubs have their bands of enthusiastic supporters. When I took my seat
in the gallery, I was surrounded by eager partisans standing up for the team of
their choice. At first it was all good-humored banter, but I could sense a
veiled hostility that lay under it. An innocent bit of humor at the expense of
a team was met with a sudden flash of ill-temper which might have led to
trouble, but others more interested in the game intervened, and peace was
restored.
Then the referee arrived
and the teams took the field to the enthusiastic cheers of their supporters.
The captains came up, shook hands and tossed for position. As soon as the teams
had lined up, there referee blew his whistle and the game started. The ball
swung from man to man; - the players were on tip-top, now dribbling, now
passing, now shooting hard and low or high overhead - and behind each move one
could see science at work. The least mistake would give the advantage to the
other side. When the ball came towards the goal-posts, all the supporters of
the attacking side would rise and cheer the forward-moving ine to the echo,
while the other side would with equal zest shout warning, advice and
encouragement to the defenders. Those moments were packed with thrilling
excitement. And whether a goal was scored or prevented, the mighty cheers of
thousands of men would be heard miles around. I, of course, standing more or
less on neutral ground, could not only share the enthusiasm, but could enjoy
the humor of the situation as well. For just imagine, all the excitement was
over nothing more than pushing an inflated ball through the goal-posts against
a crowd of opponents! It brought profit to none, but distributed pleasure all
around.
I saw the game severely
years ago, and being neutral, do not exactly remember who won. But I enjoyed
every moment of the game. There was ample evidence of skill and strength and
manliness. Above all there was sportsmanship, - playing the game hard to win,
but refusing to take unfair advantages.
A football match is good
both for the players and for the spectators. It is good for the players because
it gives them training in discipline and the will to win which is so important
for the achievement of success in life. it is good for the spectators because
it brings them life, joy and enthusiasm. For a moment it lifts them from the
dull monotony of their commonplace life.
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Thank you