Today, I was remembering the days
when I used to play football in small open spaces. It was the best time after
school and college had ended. A total of 10 friends used to play in small areas
and the fun was unlimited. The goal post was our very own shoes stretched 2
meters apart and length of the field was about half the area of the actual
football field. We played along the lines of the football rules but we changed
it according to the boundaries of the field. Five on five was totally cool and
the fun was unlimited.
Today this game we played or Can
I say a game that every Indian child played has become a gigantic sport called
“FUTSAL”. Played traditionally in Brazil and Uruguay, futsal is growing into a
passion all over the world. The game has become such a chic thing nowadays that
we are having futsal tournaments conducted in India from Kashmir to
Kanyakumari. It has become the fastest
growing sport in India as scaled down version of football.
To support this cause, there are
many futsal centers cropping up all over India. Commonly called as five-a-side
football or half football, it is played on hard surface but with smaller ball
(generally a size 3 ball). This game is helping children who love football
giving them the required base to make it a career out of it or grow into
football. If these plans come to life, we can see Futsal being a revolution in
India in the next 5 years.
In Chennai, there is a Futsal
facility which is coming up on the rooftop in Kilpauk. The facility has been
named after the native name of the game “Tiki-Taka”. It is patterned after
futsal facility at Wembley, London. Here, licensed
coaches will be engaged to coach children and the facilities will be world
class and top notch.
To promote the game, Pune
Football Club recently hosted the inaugural edition of the Godrej
Properties-Pune FC Futsal Cup 2015 which featured under-12 invitational
five-a-side tournament from 40 schools. On a serious note, former FIFA player
of the world Luis Figo, will arrive in India next week to explore business
opportunities, including the launch of his own football academy in India.
All in all, there is a new sensation cropping up in India called Futsal. I wish, as genuine Futsal lover, that it grows into a huge sport. Let this be a sport in our country to give young footballers the chance to shine.
