World Cup mania grips Nepal fans

IANS

Kathmandu

Most streets in the Nepalese capital city used to be deserted even during early evening hours. But not any more. Since June 12 when the 2014 Fifa World Cup opened in Brazil, most of Kathmandu’s streets have become lively and animated with Nepalis - young and old - watching soccer games played by their favourite teams thousands of miles away.

Wearing jersey representing their favourite teams, these football fans can be seen around TV sets or projectors showing the live games.

World Cup games telecast live from Brazil reach Nepal’s TV sets from 9:45pm to 3:45am. The two countries have also a wide gap in geography, culture and a way of life. But these differences do not stop Nepalis from staying long hours into the night just to watch the games in Brazil.

Although a high-altitude country, Nepalis have lately been interested in football.

“Among all sports, football is the most interesting and among all football competitions, World Cup is the largest and most popular one,” Bikram Majumdar, a web designer, told Xinhua.

According to him, he cannot afford not to watch World Cup after a four-year-long wait. Majumdar, a diehard fan of Argentina, has been following the games since the very first day, no matter how much trouble he feels the following day due to limited rest at night.

With the growth of media especially cable channels, technology and information communication in the poor South Asian country, the craze for World Cup games among general Nepalis has gone phenomenal in recent times. Unlike in the past, many Nepalese women, ranging from students, professionals and housewives, now also watch the World Cup games, shouting and rooting for their favourite teams. “Gone are the days when this sporting event was purely a man’s affair. We women are now equally interested in the games,”said Anuradha Sharma, a professional.

She said she never missed Argentina’s games, adding that she always gets excited and thrilled every time she watches the tall and husky Argentina players running in the football field as they aim for a goal. The 26-year-old Sharma, however, does not watch the games in public squares like some of her compatriots but at her own home with her family.

According to Suresh Neupane, a social thinker and critic, apart from joy and excitement, people have yet another reason to watch football games. “The best thing about football games is the swiftness and romance that it carries,” he said. “People follow the game because they have the desire to have the same swiftness in life and see their own life’s alter ego in the games.”

Neupane, an avid supporter of German team, said that a football match has a message to people, that even a simple mistake is unpardonable. “In real life, this is also true because a simple mistake can cost you your career or even your life. This is the major strength of football games,” he said.