[1]Coming as it does along with the Monsoon wind, the Euro fever has gripped the football fans in North Kerala as more and more people are coming out to play the game and take part in the tournaments.
Though it’s an off-season, soccer tournaments in the region are still on. Small tournaments are being organised by the local people, mostly fans of various European clubs and countries in the region.
The fans find it interesting to walk out to the beaches and play the game rather than sit back and watch the second biggest football tournament on television.
For this, the fans have found a unique way — Naming their teams with their favourite country or club.
“It is Euro season and almost all football fans are following it. With lots of fans, fans’ clubs have been formed, and they are named after their favourite clubs.
Our football tournament is something similar, and with the fans of each European Club, players are vying for the title,” says Kiran Raj, an organiser of such a tournament at Puthiyappa in Kozhikode.
Sixteen teams are playing at the seven A-side format. The teams are Manchester City Puthiyappa, Rooney Koyilandy, MWC Puthiyappa, New Castle Koyilandy, Bolten Puthiyappa, A.C Milan Koyilandy, Boca Junior Vellayil, Dragons Beypore, Manchester United Puthiyappa, FC Poyilkavu, Strikers Puthiyappa, Shine Star Edakkal, Athens Chettikulam, and Players Puthiyappa.
Several such football tournaments have been conducted, especially in the coastal regions of Malabar. “It is a way to express our solidarity with our teams.
These tournaments have also received a good number of spectators and fans of each club and country side with their team,” he says.
The famed Nainamvalappu Football Fans’ Association is also planning to conduct such a tournament for children. “In the tournament, teams will be named after their favourites. But the weather is a major obstacle,” says the president of association N.V. Subair.
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