What’s the story?
Veteran French footballer Florent Malouda has taken Indian soccer fans by storm, stating on Instagram that he wishes to play on the muddy football grounds of Malappuram, Kerala.
The Instagram post was a response to a picture put up by young Indian footballer Anas Edathodika. The picture was captioned, "I always love to play here, playing here is more than just fun and I love this game." It depicted Anas along with his village friends, who wore mud-caked dresses, playing on the ground.
According to the Times of India, the Delhi Dynamos winger was quoted as saying, “Mundappalam Arena is on my wish list. The loser washes the clothes."
You can see the post below.
In case you didn’t know...
The Kerala-born defender Anas has seen his stock rise in the last couple of years following impeccable performances for the Dynamos in the ISL and Mohun Bagan in the recently concluded I-League season.
However, he will go under the hammer at this season’s ISL draft, meaning he will not be able to play for the Dynamos. Voted the I-League Defender of the Season, Anas was expected to be retained by Delhi, however, the franchise has decided to revamp its entire Indian contingent.
The heart of the matter
Malouda has a good relationship with Anas, having played with him in the ISL for Delhi Dynamos. Anas posted a picture of himself playing soccer on a mud-covered field in his village and it looked enticing to the French winger. Malouda has now shown a keen interest to play in the Mundappalam Arena, claiming that it is on his wishlist.
What’s next?
The soccer fans of the district in Kerala, who commented on Malouda’s picture, have welcomed him to the popular mud football extravaganza in Malappuram during the monsoon season. It remains to be seen if the footballer takes up the challenge.
Author’s take
Malouda has become a popular figure in the Indian footballing circuit and has put on some brilliant performances in the ISL. However, it will be interesting to see whether the French veteran actually sacrifices the turf to go out and play in the mud.
