What Is With Jersey No 10?

I get up and come out only to find empty tetrapacks and a few leftover popcorns strewn here and there on the floor. Inspite of eyes and senses still not fully awake, it doesn’t take me long to realise that sports buff hubby had sneaked into the TV room to watch the late night kickass thrillers that are rocking probably every household around the world as the biggest sports extravaganza that Football world cup is on. I put up an angry facade but his sincere fandom is rather cute and then all this melodrama, drama, hype and hoopla that surrounds the world’s biggest sporting event will lose its sheen had it not been the craziness and passion with which these fans follow making it an event extraordinaire.

Right now the football fever is at its cresendo with the Ronaldos and the Messis and Neymars already out of fray, leaving a huge ripple of disappointment for the fans. Soccer is beyond boundaries. Soccer is the sport played most consistently around the world. It’s not sectioned off or dominated by one particular country. According to FIFA’s most recent  survey, there are 265 million players actively involved in soccer around the world, roughly about 4 % of the world’s population.

What started as a mere identification, the jersey no 10, for the Gods themselves that is, Pele and Maradona, has been inherited by demigods like Messi. No doubt there has been copious pressure on him to perform and almost everyone is aware, how much mayhem it created when he was not living upto it in few of the tear jerker matches before Argentina finally said adieu. No wonder, this left the fans heartbroken.

Closer home and our own religion or lifestyle that Cricket is, our own God, Sachin Tendulkar, also wore T-shirt no 10, which, as a mark of respect, was discontinued to be worn by any Indian cricketer once Sachin retired from active cricket. Fans make or break a sportsperson. Sachin is one cricketer who got out most while playing in 90s. The pressure was immense while the entire stadium reverberated with the chants of Sachiiin…Sachiin!!

Whatever, sports gain their celestial status due to the brilliant performance displayed by star sportspersons and the uninhibited display of sheer passion,
joy de vivere and emotions by dedicated fans. I stand very happy today as I break my writer’s block on my favourite sportperson’s birthday that is Mahi. He may not be in his prime right now but I am his fan for life due to the calm and composed mannerism he follows on field and his leadership skills of course.

Right now, the grandest sports event is keeping the fans hooked on with loudest of cheers, adrenaline rushing high and even tears flowing down the cheeks aplenty, in stadiums and homes alike. Imagine how silent and lustreless it will be if there were no fans…alas!