How World Cup battle lines get drawn in India

From repainted houses to renamed menus, fans in the grip of football frenzy are going all out to root for their favourite teams at the quadrennial spectacle

- Rayson Tennyson & Marcus Mergulhao

Qualification is still a pipe dream, but Indians know how to get a kick out of Q the football World Cup. And with the 2022 edition in Qatar being as close to home as it gets, football fever is riding high with the country once again divided into the contending colours of the storied teams, from Brazil to Argentina and Portugal to England.

Just the last week, there was a slanging match that led to two people coming to blows at a small tea stall in Kerala's Malappuram. Those who tried to break up the fight found that the two were brothers, but it was no family dispute that had them charged up. "He might be my brother, but till December 18 I have no relation with him," said one of them. That is when it dawned on all that the siblings were split over football loyalties, the elder one was an Argentina fan while the younger brother supported Brazil.

Such disputes and quarrels are a common sight in Kerala whenever a football World Cup is around the corner. Once every four years, the flags and cutouts of political parties make way for the banners and posters of global footballing heroes. Even the menu cards of hotels and juice bars are updated with items renamed for football stars and teams. So, the mango juice could be named after either Neymar or Alves or any popular Brazilian footballer, obviously because of its yellow hue. Argentina, England and Germany also have juices, burgers and sandwiches named for their star footballers.

The craze doesn't stop there. Some fans even repaint their houses ahead of the Cup, the most popular shades being yellow and green for Brazil and light blue and white for Argentina fans.