By Meinam Amit Singh
SHILLONG, Nov 28: India is not a part of the global football fiesta in Qatar. However, that has not deterred the cricket-crazy nation from celebrating the mega-quadrennial event, Qatar World Cup.
“It’s the biggest show on earth and the most-watched event in the world. It comes once every four years,” former India goalkeeper Subrata Paul said in an exclusive interview with The Shillong Times.
“I always wait (for the World Cup) with bated breath, and the excitement levels are no different this time,” he added.
Paul, who is the most capped Indian goalkeeper, believes that the globalisation of football has bridged the gap between traditional powerhouses and the rest of the teams.
“Today every country has players in the top leagues across Europe; hence, anything is possible, and there will be surprises this World Cup. But yes, everyone will have their eyes on the giants,” he said.
When asked who will bag the coveted championship, Paul, who is currently a commentator and studio expert with Sports18 and JioCinema for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, says, “I am tempted to say that any one from Brazil, Germany, Argentina, France, England, Portugal, Belgium could take it home, purely because there isn’t much difference between these teams. But I personally believe defence wins tournaments, and the team which moves ahead with lesser bookings and injuries and keeps their defence intact will go on to win.”
“Let there be a new champion this time,” he added.
Paul, who is currently on loan to ATK Mohun Bagan from Hyderabad FC, feels that India’s appearance at the World Cup finals is still a ‘long journey.’
He strongly believes that investments by the domestic clubs and the state associations at the grassroots will make India stronger as a footballing nation. “There’s no reason why we can’t be at the World Cup,” he said.
Nicknamed the ‘Indian Spiderman,’ Paul agrees that hosting age-category World Cups has helped improve the standards of football in India. He said that the young Indian players who were part of the global events at home need to play abroad to further hone their skills.
“At the outset, they may not be paid as much as they would like and may get into the lower tiers. Back in India, the top clubs pay much more than what they will earn in Europe. But they need to travel abroad to improve as a player,” he said.
Calling Qatar one of the best hosts of the World Cup, he feels that the country will roll out the red carpet for all the fans and teams. “This will go down as one of the most memorable World Cups ever,” he said.
On his illustrious career, Paul said, “I feel privileged and blessed for what I have achieved. The title of ‘Spiderman’ always motivated me to get better as that was perhaps the first and the last time an Indian footballer received a title from the international media. I have served my clubs and my country with diligence and have had the honour of captaining my country too. I am looking forward to continuing to play professional football.”
On his current role as a commentator, the Indian Spiderman said, “It’s a new role where I am getting a chance to strike a direct chord with my fans and viewers. Much like my time under the bar, here, too, there isn’t any room for errors. But this stint in the commentary box is a good way to give something back to the sport.”