Known as a cricketing country around the world today, India’s football story would’ve been vastly different if only they made the trip to Brazil in 1950.
Many among the capacity crowd in National Stadium, Delhi heaved a sigh of relief when the referee blew his halftime whistle. The stage was set for a thrilling finale of inaugural Asian Games but India had not managed to replicate the sparkling form they had shown on their way to the summit clash. Their opponents, Iran, were physically superior and Indian players seemed intimidated. As the players recuperated during the lemon break they had a special visitor – Jawaharlal Nehru.
The Indian prime minister tried to motivate the players, tugged at their patriotism and made a demand from star striker Sheoo Mewalal to score a goal. It wasn’t quite an ultimatum like Benito Mussolini’s infamous “win or die” message to the Italian team before 1938 World Cup final, but Nehru’s appeal did hit home. India came back rejuvenated in second half and pegged Iran back with a much improved display. Repaying Nehru’s faith, Mewalal scored after a cross from winger Runu Guhathakurta. It was this goal that earned Indian football its first significant success – on 10th March, 1951. In his book “Barefoot to Boots” Indian football expert Novy Kapadia adds a wonderful sub-note to Mewalal’s goal, pointing out that he was playing in the final despite a family bereavement and just after the medal ceremony he was provided a special IAF plane to take him back to Kolkata. The things you do for your country and sport.
The success in 1951 Asian Games football was a great cause of celebration among Indian football fraternity. Perhaps, very few of them actually wondered at that time about the events that took place a year before which later would give rise to the greatest “what if” question in Indian football – maybe even sport – history. What if they had played in the 1950 World Cup?