Kids will be inspired when India host U17 FIFA World Cup: Sourav Ganguly

Carlos Alberto Torres, former Brazilian World Cup captain unveils the FIFA World cup Trophy with Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly on December 22, 2013 in Kolkata.

We all know former Indian cricketer and captain Sourav Ganguly is a football fan as well, being from Kolkata and all. And when he was asked about India hosting the U-17 FIFA World Cup in 2017 at the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour in Kolkata, he said that he hoped it would kick start a renewed interest in the sport.

“I’m sure the 2017 World Cup will give a big push to the sport. It will bring young kids back to the fields. I know cricket attracts a lot of kids who want to be like Sachin or nowadays Virat Kohli,” the former India captain said.

“U-17 World Cup 2017 will bring a lot of young boys. It’s a fantastic sport. The passion and theexcitement the sport can generate is unbelievable,” he said on the sidelines of FIFA World Cup’s India leg tour.

“I’m sure all of us will agree that the sport has taken a beating in Kolkata and India. It needs a massive push to bring it back to where it was. Kolkata will remain always the heart of football. We all want to see the game go back to where it was.”

“If Brazil is the heart of world football, Kolkata is the heart of Indian football,”