Well, it’s a question that’s been asked a billion times over. But we thought we should still ask our Wizard with Words yet again. Here’s the December 16 edition of Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das. Read on…

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Q. In 2021, Morocco population was 3.73 crore, India: 139.34. If a country like Morocco could dazzle in the Fifa World Cup, what’s stopping a billion-plus-strong India? What should we do to win the Cup in, say, 2034?

A. Your question is very legit, and aspirationally desirable. It needs a complete culture hacking from the current mindset.

Thanks to content streaming across density of devices, consumers are exposed to global content. Football ultimately is content and hence to be in that content game, we have to focus on football very differently, as we look at cricket, for instance. The potential players have to be identified and they have to be exposed to the game and it’s technology. Football technology is spreading in new ways globally. Once the potential players are identified, the government has to extend all facilities with a global benchmarks. The soccer players are, more often than not, burdened with the need for earning for their families (financially). They have to be freed from that, their health, food, training etc have to be taken to a different level than what is done now. I am confident if we can start (as I proposed and it can be bettered by experts) immediately, India can aim for 2026 participation.