On the big stage of the World Cup, India’s blue shirts stand with their boots on.. Cross the roof of the stadium where the people of Palestine unite and listen to the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana…’ loudly.. Fly the tricolor on the field. Even today, that dream is far away for the Indian sports fan who cherishes football like an intoxicant. Even as club footballs flourish, academies emerge and a generation is born that takes the game seriously, football pundits say India’s entry into the World Cup is still a long way off.
However, if time goes back 72 years, there was a World Cup football that India should have played. Although the International Football Federation invited the independent India’s football team to the World Cup held in Brazil, India disappointed by not being able to participate due to various reasons. Shailan Manna later said that if he had laced his boots in the World Cup, India’s football history would have been different.
This is the story of how India prepared for the 1950 World Cup. After the smoke and gunfire of the Second World War, Brazil is preparing for the fourth World Cup. A golden opportunity opened up for Indian football when many countries were banned by FIFA in the wake of the war and others withdrew due to the dire political situation. With the withdrawal of Burma, Indonesia and the Philippines in the Asian region in the qualification round, India secured natural qualification without playing a single game. The International Football Federation has also received an invitation to Brazil. India was preparing for a historic moment. On May 22, 1950, the draw of the countries to compete in the World Cup was also held. India has been placed in Group 3 along with Italy, Sweden and Paraguay. Our country was ranked 36th in Elo rating which was the ranking system of that time.
●Shailan Manna
All India Football Federation President Muinul Haq flew to Calcutta the next day after the team draw in Rio. After hours of consultations with the football organizers, India announced its withdrawal from the World Cup through a small press release. Dissatisfaction with group selection and insufficient time for training were initially cited as reasons for the withdrawal. There were arguments that the flight to Rio was unaffordable, or that the withdrawal was due to not being allowed to play without boots. After the announcement of India’s withdrawal, FIFA stepped in with a promise to cover travel expenses, but our football organizers did not reconsider their decision to skip the World Cup.
‘Bigger than the World Cup were the Olympics and the Asian Games. Many had not even heard of the World Cup. If there was less understanding, we players ourselves would have taken the initiative to hit the ball in the World Cup. The Olympics and the Asian Games were the biggest for us.’ Manna, who is also the hero of the golden days of Indian football, said another thing about the loss of the World Cup, which he shared as his greatest pain until his death. That journey was beyond the dream we see today’. Manna revealed these things in an interview given to Sports Illustrated magazine. Even though India has wanted a lot for the World Cup since ages, India is far away. In 2017, the country played its first World Cup in Under-17 World Cup.