Drowsy, red-eyed and incredibly sleep-deprived: that’s how I’ve been off late.
But before you blame the Dubai summer, let me tell you that it’s the Fifa World Cup that is guilty.
It’s that insane time which comes every four years, so obviously we have to make the most of this precious time. What’s amazing is that malls, stores, restaurants, sports bars are all quick to dish out merchandise, combo meals and competitions, making sure no one is spared from this global football mania. After all, it’s not just a sporting event but the biggest single-event sporting competition in the world.
It’s interesting to observe how the sport has evolved over time, making itself accessible to fans anywhere in the world. My certified personal trainer, Abdul Rahman Adel, is from Egypt and beyond passionate about sports, football in particular. Adel feels the game’s popularity has evolved more than the game itself. Earlier, only hard-core fans would queue up for stadium tickets or stay glued to their radio sets to enjoy the game. But today, more than 700 million fans enjoy the euphoria in the comfort of their own homes.
And Dubai being the ever-welcoming cultural melting pot is indeed one of the best places to enjoy Fifa. Every restaurant, cafe or five star hotel is live-streaming the matches over drinks and snacks. Adel adds that now even people who barely follow football make sure they don’t miss a single match.
Which brings me to the question: has the Fifa World Cup become more of a social event rather than a serious sport?
A 90-120 minute duration is a reasonable investment of time, making it convenient for a family or friendly gathering. Indian football enthusiast, Mandar Bhide, feels it is only natural that there is huge excitement in a place such as Dubai as it is home to people from more than 200 countries, while Dubai-based entrepreneur and fashionista Sarah Belhasa, an avid football follower, is hooked on with her husband and two footballer sons.
That’s the beauty of the game. It gives everyone the opportunity to spend time with family, meet friends, cheer favourite teams and players. And of course, the players aren’t too bad to look at either.
So even if it means I have to struggle to keep my eyes open during the day, this party comes along only once in four years and there’s no way I’m going to sleep through it.
— Follow Uma on Social media @umagd.
