You can never keep men away from football for too long, and if the World Cup finals are around the corner, you can never keep them away from each other either. This Sunday marks the finale of the South Africa football extravaganza, and guys across the country are making beelines to find any place that has the license to telecast footie action, alongwith a liberal supply of beer.
Media professional Nikhil Acharya says that he had the preparations for the finals made weeks in advance. “My parents are going out of town for the weekend, and some friends and I have already made plans to watch the game live on my television set. We’ve even decided to deviate from the normal beer-pizza routine and go in for a some cool new cocktails that we researched online,” he laughs.
Acharya can’t help praise the system they have worked out where a group of friends meet up indoors and watch the match inside a homely environment. But there are those who say being indoors is no way to watch a game like football. “Football is all about the passion and the excitement,” enthuses Aalap Deboor, who says that for him, the best way to watch the game is in a pub or a restaurant with hundreds of raucous cheering fans. “I would have loved to soak in the atmosphere live in a stadium, but if that is not happening, I would prefer a pub or a bar as the next best alternative. You’re always surrounded by hundreds of fanatical fans! The atmosphere is crazier when there are more people around and the beer is flowing freely,” he said.
However, there are those who disagree, like investment banker Ankush Makhija. He doesn’t believe in the concept of “the more the merrier” when it comes to watching sports. “I need to have my friends with me when we go out for dinner or for a film, but when it comes to sports, somehow I’ve always preferred watching it alone at home on TV,” Makhija said. “I like to savour the game this way; there’s no one to yell and scream around, no arguments about the volume and which team sucks, and which player should be dropped,” he added.
Wherever you may be watching the finals this Sunday, the fact is that the World Cup has provided people with the best excuse to meet up and party with their friends, as nobody seems to mind it at all. Parents don’t have a problem with the partying, and girlfriends also seem to consider the World Cup as a legitimate excuse for the gang of guys to get together.
Contrary to popular belief, however, the girls themselves are rather excited about the World Cup, taking breaks from work and other commitments to do the Waka Waka. Aishaa Cherian, an interior designer, says that she was never much of a football person until the World Cup 2010 had her converted. “I was always more interested in the players rather than the game. But not this time! Look at the way patterns have been broken, its dramatic. I have been hooked to almost every match so far. I’m planning to catch the finals at home itself, with a lot of friends, food and drinks for company. It’s a big day and I can’t wait,” says the Germany fan.