L IKE they have been doing in the past few tournaments, smaller nations and debutants yet again left their mark in the ongoing FIFA World Cup. Never among the list of favourites or even underdogs, teams like Cabo Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo and Morocco, have shown that they belong on the world stage. They weaved a phenomenal success story and left a mark on the minds of soccer fans forever. Living to the uncertain beauty of sports, these small wonders have not only gave themselves a chance to build a solid foundation but also have given hope to the many strugglers out there waiting for their chance under the sun. This edition’s biggest success story belongs to Cabo Verde. The tiny nation, with a meagre population, was supposed to be the beneficiary of the FIFA largess of expanding groups to accommodate more teams. The move had drawn immense skepticism with fans fearing dilution of quality of football due to inequal status of some rivals.

 

All these fears were kicked out with a solid punch by Cabo Verde as the tournament progressed. This team’s show will form a golden chapter in Cabo Verde’s football history for the steel they displayed against the best in the business. The honest praise by Argentina great Lionel Messi will keep reverberating on the football fields of Cabo Verde forever, reminding the nation that it has the wherewithal to be counted among the best. In DR Congo and Morocco, the gallant fight put up by their soccer team will be part of folklore soon. These teams deserve every ounce of adulation back home for the heart they have shown in the tournament. Sports fields are full of such tales of bravery from the Davids against Goliaths. The World Cup has added to the rich treasure.

 

However, it is also time for many other aspiring nations to pick up the best from this rich treasure and make their own luck. The aforesaid fact is of utmost importance for a country like India. From the tag of Brazil of Asian football to a sleeping giant ready to wake up to glory, Indian football has gone nowhere as the world galloped to higher perches on the soccer field. Judging the Indian soccer team from the World Cup standards would be unfair but there is hurt in the minds of the followers on the continuous lacklustre show by the Blues.

 

Putting it plainly, Indian football is still caught in a time warp. Some bright glimpses raise hopes of a chance to realise the World Cup dream but in the end they turn out to be a false dawn. Despite having an iconic player like Sunil Chhetri, the Blue Tigers have miserably failed to stay afloat even the South-Asian region. At the same time, fellow teams like Japan and Iran have made rapid progress to become regulars at the World Cup. The Indian fans once again sincerely hope that the national team draws inspiration from an emerging football nation like Cabo Verde. It will need bountiful belief in the players, pinpoint planning, sustained investment and world-class infrastructure that countries like Japan have done in a long-term approach. The gap between India and football’s traditional powerhouses is too wide. It can be filled only with a vision, not politics.