Malappuram, Areekode and Calicut | Die hard football fans of Malabar! –

How many people would see a football match between two District level teams? Hundred, you would say? Or maybe two hundred? You could well be right - if the match were to be played anywhere in India, other than in Malappuram (Kerala). Malappuram is the homeland of former international Moideenkutty, Mampad Rehman, Akbar Ali, C Ubaid, U Sharaf Ali, C Jabir, Habeeb Rehman. The number of players from this district having represented the state of Kerala is close to 500.On a pleasant Friday evening at Manjeri, over 5,000 men, young and old, watched, ASC Areacode taking on MES Mampad in the 'A' Division football league championship match from the sideline of Government BHSS Ground. This tournament is known as the “CHAMPIONS LEAGUE OF MALAPPURAM”. Team Participation in this tournament is a regional feeling of the people, so that many matches end in brick-batting."I was hardly surprised to see such a big crowd," says OK Javeed, the gifted striker who scored two goals for Mampad’s victory. "Such is the passion for football to the people of Malappuram district. ‘Though I have played on many big grounds, in India and abroad, I have never come across such passionate crowds anywhere else."

ARGENTINA-LARGEST FANS IN MALAPPURAM DISTRICT

There are fans for allmost every nation in malapuram district including Argentina , Brazil , Germany, Italy and teams like Ivory coast.But the biggest number of fans is for Argentina.After bengal it would be in kerala in particular malabar region that Argentina is having the largest number of fans.People of malapuram have been addicted to the attacking style of argentine football.Ever since the invention of television they have seen their first world cup in 1986,known for the magic of legendary Deigo Maradona.Since then there is no decline in the number of fans for the nation here.

It can also seen that no other players of any nation could get a fan following as that of argentina's Maradona or Messi in the state. Almost all of Spain and Argentina broke into celebration as Lionel Messi was voted FIFA footballer of the year on Tuesday. Add to that list north Kerala's Malappuram, where crackers were burst and sweets went round for one of their soccer heroes, admired as much in the football-crazy district as anywhere in soccer-bitten European, African or Latin American centers.

Kannur goes mad over Diego Maradona

Anyone who arrived in Kannur on Tuesday could have easily mistaken it for Buenos Aires or any other Argentinian city. Every vantage point in this northern district of Kerala had been taken over by one man, Diego Maradona.
"For people of Malabar, football is a religion and Maradona is our god. Today our 'football god' has come to visit us. On Wednesday morning he will bless us," said Nizam AH as he was giving finishing touches to one of the cutouts outside the Kannur Municipal stadium, where Maradona will make his public appearance on Wednesday morning.