“It’s so bad that Italy is out of the game. I’d a bet with your dad on this” says an old lady to a young girl sitting near by in the bus. Such talks are not new in this place because this is Malappuram. Football is life and soul for the natives here. Flags and huge flex boards for their favorite nations are all around. Towns will be empty when matches begin. Theatres are closed in the evening as no one will turn to watch a movie when the game is going on. Guys wear the team jerseys they support. Some crazy fans even paint their vehicles and houses the colors of the flags. So it’s a great feeling to be in Malappuram and knowing the real pulse of football in India. As the flex says, ‘anyone can compete for craziness in football, but only for second position’
