Kolkata: One of the most popular sports across the globe, football – quite surprisingly – hasn’t been able to mark its overwhelming presence in India except a handful of states like West Bengal, Goa, Punjab, and Kerala. However, with the inception of the Reliance-backed Hero Indian Super League and the unexpected success of Bengaluru FC at the recently concluded AFC Cup, the ‘beautiful game’ is slowly becoming more and more popular in this part of the world with each and every passing day. Moreover, the intrusion of some of the most enticing leagues in the world (English Premier League, La Liga etc.) into our drawing rooms has made sure that football finds its long overdue yet rightful place in the hearts of millions of Indians – young and old alike.
As a result of the aforementioned growing popularity of football in India, footballers – for the first time in the history of the nation – have been thrown into the limelight while gaining millions of fans and followers at the same time. And thanks to the internet, the distance between the footballers in limelight and their fans has been subjected to the minimum. The followers scrutinize their footballing heroes’ skills up on YouTube, follow them on Twitter, share their posts on Facebook and yet don’t seem to get enough of their on-field idols.
Hence, keeping their ever-so-constant cravings in mind, here are the current WhatsApp display pictures of Seven footballers & coaches who have made a name for themselves on the Indian soil:
Eugenson Lyngdoh: The 2015 AIFF Men’s player of the year, Eugenson Lyngdoh seems to be quite fond of clicking selfies. The WhatsApp display picture of the 30-year-old midfielder from Meghalaya exhibits Lyngdoh clicking a selfie of his in – what it seems like – an airplane.
Lyngdoh who had begun his senior career in Shillong Lajong back in 2011 has played for clubs like Rangdajied United and Bengaluru FC in the I-League and FC Pune City in the Hero Indian Super League. He had made his international debut for India against Nepal on 12th March 2015.
Pronay Halder: One of the soundest technical footballers of his generation, Pronay Halder seems like he is missing his family as the 23-year-old currently sports the Mumbai City FC jersey in the 2016 edition of the Hero Indian Super League. A product of the Tata Football Academy, Pronay Halder’s WhatsApp DP showcases a beautiful moment which he had shared his mother earlier.
Born in Barrackpore, a suburb of Kolkata, Halder has played for clubs such as Pailan Arrows, Dempo, and Mohun Bagan. He was also a part of the FC Goa squad in 2015 before shifting to Mumbai City FC.
Wedson Anselme: The new Red and Gold number 10, Wedson Anselme who had made his first official appearance at East Bengal a couple of days back seems like enjoying his share of the limelight as suggested by his WhatsApp DP. The 30-year-old former Haiti international’s profile shows a formals-cladden Wedson Anselme seated between a couple of friends with a football in front and a green screen at back.
Anselme joined East Bengal from the Bangladeshi side, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi for an initial period of one and a half years according to the Haitian’s contract.
Mehtab Hossain: The heart of the East Bengal midfield, Mehtab Hossain is currently donning the Kerala Blasters jersey in the Hero Indian Super League. The 31-year-old former India international, too, seems to miss his family, especially his children as pointed by his current WhatsApp profile picture.
After making 78 league appearances for Mohun Bagan, Hossain joined their arch-rivals East Bengal back in 2003 and ever since has made 268 appearances for the club. Mehtab Hossain had also scored a couple of international goals for India in 29 matches and both of them came against the neighbors, Nepal.
Pritam Kotal: One of the most promising footballers of his generation, Pritam Kotal is currently an integral part of the Atletico de Kolkata squad for the 2016 Indian Super League. As Jose Molina’s boys are currently poised at the number four position on the league table with FC Pune City breathing down their necks, Kotal seems to have kept himself motivated with an inspirational quote as his WhatsApp display picture.
The 23-year-old’s WhatsApp DP says: The size of your success is equal to the size of your sacrifice.
Do Dong-Hyun: The Red and Gold brigade’s poster boy, Do Dong-Hyun seems to be in love with East Bengal as much as the club’s followers are in love with him. The South Korean attacking midfielder’s WhatsApp DP shows an ecstatic Do Dong-Hyun celebrating an East Bengal goal with his teammates.
The 22-year-old joined East Bengal earlier this year and made his first appearance for the club on 10th January 2016 in an important 3-1 victory over Sporting Club de Goa.
Antonio Habas: Former Atletico de Kolkata head coach, Antonio Lopez Habas likes to get a feel of the city he’s coaching in. The 59-year-old Spaniard who’s currently coaching FC Pune City has a picture of a worn-out wooden door with a sign of No Parking at the top as his current WhatsApp display photograph.
The former Sevilla defender – while he was posted in Kolkata during the first two editions of the Hero Indian Super League – had a similar kind of a WhatsApp DP which featured a house on Lake Kalibari Road in the city of joy.