Reportaaz Unfolds Tragedy of Indian football, Only on IBN-Lokmat

Tracing back the history of football World cup series, we are drawn to the World Cup of 1950 where Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) had made it clear to India that they would not be allowed to play in the 1950 FIFA World Cup without footwear. This was perhaps the first & the last time India qualified for the Football World Cup. IBN-Lokmat explores for the first time the tragedy of Indian Football, the reasons for why India is not amongst the teams in FIFA World Cup, in Reportaaz this Sunday, 6th July 2014 at 11.30am.

There have been thousands of supporters across India for so many decades for the Football World Cup. The night long cheering, calling out for players, the anger for opponents all creating an environment as intense as it could get. All of this passion overflowing, joins together in a hope that one day there will be a team, a team from their own ground, India. Decades back India once surprised the world with their performance in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England. During the game some of the Indian football team players played with socks & some barefoot. Indian was leading against the France since the very first round of the competition. This match gained a huge attention as the India for the first time had participated & was performing well in an international tournament after being an independent country. Nevertheless, the fact that the Indian team played the whole game in bare feet drew the most attention of all.

It is been said that, AIFF just did not took the World Cup seriously, considering Olympics as the only bigger competition amongst all. It seems much more likely that the Indian football officials never thought that the World Cup was a big enough of a deal to permit sending Indian players across the world.

IBN-Lokmat explores the reasons for the downfall of the Indian Football even the though the passion for the game amongst the fans during world cups continues to be at the top. Reportaaz will be taking a look back at the true stories behind unfolding the misfortune of Indian Football on Sunday 6th July 2014 at 11.30am.