The exhibition football match between Real Madrid and Barcelona legends was a cause of excitement and nostalgia for many, but also sparked introspection from others, including former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha
The 'Legends Face-Off' El Clasico clash in Navi Mumbai on Sunday (April 6, 2025) was a trip down memory lane for football fans, who got a chance to witness titans of the game like Luis Figo and Carles Puyol in action on Indian soil for the Real Madrid and Barcelona outfits, respectively. (More Sports News)
The exhibition football match marked the first time former stars from the two Spanish powerhouses locked horns in India. It was a cause of excitement and nostalgia for many, but also sparked introspection from others, including former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha.
Could the people investing large sums of money to make a match like that happen, support sports at the grassroots level too, Rasquinha wondered. The 44-year-old, who himself runs the not-for-profit Olympic Gold Quest (with the endeavour to help Indian athletes win Olympic and Paralympic gold medals) as the chief executive officer, posted a message on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to make his case.
"I loved all the El Clasicos & the legends of that era but it바카라™s hardly exciting to watch 50 year olds jog on a football pitch. I wish folks investing huge amounts in getting these legends to India actually invest more in grassroot, coaching & competition structure, esp for women," Rasquinha tweeted.
While there is a charm in witnessing the legends of yesteryears trying to recreate old magic, the lack of institutionalised support for budding athletes in sports other than cricket is undeniable as well. Apart from the missing financial incentive, the unavailability of infrastructure and quality tournaments affects growth of innumerable players.
It was all these lacunae that had prompted badminton great Pullela Gopichand to make his controversial but thought-provoking remarks on making a career in sports. 바카라śWhat we fail to understand is that sports guarantee failure for 99 percent of those who take it up. And this isn바카라™t always due to a lack of effort, it바카라™s simply the nature of the game. It바카라™s crucial that we develop an exit strategy for those who don바카라™t make it,바카라ť Gopichand had said, sparking intense debate.