Football fans were left dissappointed in March when the much anticipated Finalissima between Spain and Argentina was called off amid tensions in the Middle East. Now with the two giants set to clash in the FIFA World Cup final, excitementr in Jaipur has reached fever pitch. Ankit Pareek, sales head at a five-star property in Kukas, is all set to root for his favourite team Argentina. He says, “After slogging through work during the day and catching up on the excitement of matches at night, finally the day has arrived when I will witness the historic match with my pals on a giant LED screen at a friend’s place, I am a huge Lionel Messi fan and I have my Argentina jersey ready too.” WATCHING THE MATCH WITH YOUR FRIENDS IS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE Jaipurites, who have been following the sport together for more than a decade, are not only looking forward to celebrating the game but experiencing the happiness and anguish as a group. Sharad Palawat, cluster head in a private firm, tells us, “Watching a match with friends, who would be rooting for different teams, just elevates the excitement. There is a competitive spirit which gives an adrenaline rush on every goal scored. I, along with my friend Ankit, have been watching FIFA matches since we were college friends in 2014.” WE WILL PAINT OUR FACES AND CHEER FOR OUR FAVE TEAM ARGENTINA AT HOMEFootball has never been gender agnostic, and the sport’s female fans are gearing up too for the festive atnmosphere. Deepali Ghosh, a chartered accountant based in C-Scheme, has planned to watch the final at her friend’s place. “Since it’s late in the night , we have decided to have a night out. Dressed in our PJ’s we have decided to paint the Argentina flag on our faces and cheer for our team. I want to see my favourite team lift the trophy with great pride.” WE WILL BE HAVING SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE FANSIt will be a Sunday blockbuster with fans celebrating the spirit of the game at screenings. An event organiser, who is hosting a special screening at Banipark says, “We have about 100 seats which are selling out quickly. It was intersting to see wives booking tickets for their husbands. We are indulging in the final match buzz with special activities and quizzes before the game as well. Jerseys of different teams will be on display to add to the football fun.
