Murals, graffiti to crowded cafes — football fever rages in Kolkata

Now that the FIFA World Cup has reached the halfway stage, India's football-crazy 'City of Joy' has finally woken up to it in a way only it could. Be it celebrations for Lionel Messi’s 39th birthday, giant screens for late-night watch parties or football-themed cafés, Kolkata has once again transformed into India’s unofficial football capital after a slow start.

Whether in the narrow bylanes of north Kolkata or apartment blocks of the south, roadside tea stalls or busy office canteens, supporters are passionately debating which country will lift the trophy on 19 July.

Michael Dey, a football lover at a tea stall in Gariahat, said: ‘’During the World Cup, football becomes the only language everyone understands. You cannot drink a cup of tea without someone asking whether you support Argentina or Brazil.’’

The excitement is impossible to miss. Flags — largely of the two South American heavyweights — flutter from balconies and street corners, while markets such as New Market, Hatibagan, College Street and Gariahat are packed with shoppers buying jerseys, scarves, footballs and banners. Arup Laha, a trader in Esplanade, said: ‘’Our sales go up several times during the World Cup. People want everything — from team shirts to giant flags. Business is booming.’’

This year’s tournament presents a unique challenge for Kolkata’s football lovers thanks to the time difference, but fans don’t mind sacrificing sleep. Piyali Sarkar, who works in the IT sector, said: ‘’Sleep can wait. The World Cup comes only once every four years.’’

There are a number of Argentina Fan Clubs — some of the prominent ones being in Thakurpukur and Ganguly Bagan. Sheikh Asiruddin, the brain behind one of the fan zones in Thakurpukur, said preparations had begun weeks in advance. ‘’Our first match was early in the morning but that didn’t stop anyone. Whatever the match timings, we simply adjust our daily routine.’’

Debayan Sarkar, a media studies student and member of the Arsenal Bengal Fan Club, said supporters love watching matches together. ‘’The atmosphere is completely different when hundreds of people celebrate every goal together,’’ he said.

Souparna Dutta, a microbiology student, agreed: ‘’Watch parties have become hugely popular. People meet new friends, discuss football and enjoy the experience together. It's about much more than just watching the game.’’

Several pubs and sports cafés across the city are also organising special screenings and football-themed evenings throughout the tournament. At Chapter Two on Southern Avenue, owner Shiladitya Chaudhury admitted that showing live matches would be difficult because of late kick-off times. ‘’We will screen repeat broadcasts on a giant screen instead. We’re hoping football lovers will still come together to enjoy the atmosphere.’’

There was a huge moment of recognition for this football-mania when FIFA itself shared photographs of murals painted by residents of Fariapukur in north Kolkata. The colourful artwork features stars like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar and has now become a popular pit stop for football fans.

Raj Kahar, one of the artists of the mural, said the recognition came as a complete surprise. He said: ‘’We only realised FIFA had posted our work after people started congratulating us. It's an incredible feeling. Everyone in our neighbourhood is proud.’’

The tradition, according to him, began during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and has continued ever since. Raj explained: ‘’We never wanted to stop decorating our neighbourhood. Every mural tells a story.’’ Asked about a section of the wall being left conspicuously blank, he had an interesting answer: ''That space is reserved for India. The day India qualifies for the World Cup, we’ll paint that moment there,’’ he said.

Elsewhere in north Kolkata, Fakir Chakraborty Lane has once again become 'World Cup lane'. The street wears a magical look with murals, colourful graffiti, giant flags and artwork celebrating football’s biggest stars.

Despite fierce sporting rivalries, local residents insist football brings everyone together. Dilip Mitra, a young artist said: ‘’We support different countries but when we are painting these walls, we’re one football family.’’

The marquee event has inspired local artists and craftsmen to come up with other unique creations. Inspired by his daughter, candlemaker Tuhin Mukhopadhyay has designed handmade candles shaped like the World Cup trophy. "She asked if I could make one. I decided to create the trophy instead of individual teams because everyone supports different countries,’’ he said.

He is now working on wax figures of football stars including Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé.

It’s a familiar lament that India has never appeared in a FIFA World Cup, but Kolkata’s love for football remains as strong as ever. One football fan summed it up: ‘’The World Cup isn’t just a tournament for us, it’s an emotion. We may lose sleep but we’ll never miss a match.’’