Sevens football
All India Sevens football is a popular form of football played in India. The games are played with seven players on each side, typically in a smaller field than a full-size football stadium. al madeena cherpulassery and fifa manjeri Fabulous Clubs The refereeing in the games is not as strict as in regular football and games can be rough and injury-prone.[1] Sevens, as this form of the sport is commonly known, is popular in the Malabar region including the districts of Malappuram,Kasargod , Wayanad , Thrissur , Palakkad , Eranakulam , Kannur and Kozhikode.[2]
Several Sevens tournaments among different clubs are held during the months of November through May. The All India Sevens’ Football Association (SFA) organizes up to 60 tournaments across the state.[3] The matches in Sevens tournaments are often played to fully packed galleries, and occasionally even draw more crowds than regular football matches.[4]
Contribution to football world
Several footballers from Kerala, including stars of the Indian national football team such as I. M. Vijayan[5] and Anas Edathodika, credit their experiences in Sevens tournaments for helping them improve their footballing skills and develop their passion for the sport.[6][1] Sevens tournaments have also attracted stars from other parts of India, including Bhaichung Bhutia,[5] as well as international players including some from Africa.[7]
In popular culture
The Malayalam movie Sudani from Nigeria was based on an African footballer who comes to Kerala to play in a Sevens tournament.[4] The Malayalam movie Sevenes is also set on the backdrop of a Sevens team.
References
- ^ a b "Run, Ashique, run: The Kerala speedster who turned India's premier trickster". ESPN. 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ "Sevens football season kicks off in Kerala". 2012-11-20. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ football association.com https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2019/oct/20/sevens-the-lifeline-of-state-football-2050248.html "Sevens the lifeline of country football". The New Indian Express. 2019-09-03. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ a b "How Kerala shrunk football to make it its own". Times of India. 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ a b "'Sevens football helps me retain my passion for the game'". Sportstar. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ "From Malappuram Sevens to Kerala Blasters - Anas Edathodika remembers his roots". Yahoo! Sports. 2019-01-29. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ "The African footballers changing the game in India". BBC. 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2020-01-02.