Its football time, Ladies!!!!

The World Cup is nearly here. So before the big kickoff arrives I just wanted to share things that are rattling around my head. Mostly I'm thinking about making sure to enjoy the World Cup, my first in the land that has undoubtedly the best football fans of the world. I am going to head to the pubs and enjoy the atmosphere and sing till my vocal cords go bust. Come on England...!

And although it’s an all man sport event, football is the sport I live for. 90 minutes of pure skills and yes clammy men who make sweat look gorgeous. Apart from the fact that the sport offers fit men, six packs, hunkyness galore...some women also watch it for the offside, dives, dribbles, defending, that naked guy who would make a run on the pitch and also guessing which team colour the ref is actually wearing. Yes, some of us women take our football seriously. Kapish.

I have a personal hatred towards men and their penis size brain which makes them think no end of themselves. No, i don’t swing the other way. But these silly Facebook groups and nonsense putting out of rules for WAGs is pure and utter garbage and sexists too. I mean WTF..!

On the flip side, there’s a segment of women that truly love the gridiron, and the experience that comes with it. They know the game, understand the communal aspect, organize watch parties, wear jerseys, and will sit right up and debate the average football fan. In some cases, there are some ladies who know more about the game than some dudes who run around and masquerade as preaching the football gospel, and since we’re all about equal opportunity this piece here is all about women who love the game.

Believe me when I say this: there are more women who love football than you men have been led to believe. They’re not behind some glass-panelled, bullet-proof partition at your local museum either. They really do exist; I’ve been fortunate enough to come across several of them. On top of that, these women know their stuff! If its Zena Costa the only women football writer in India’s football loving Goa, to my younger sisters who may not know the nitty-gritty but wear their team colours and cheer their team to me a totally football junkie. And tons of other pretty lassies out there.

It isn’t just limited to cyberspace, either. When kickoff is approaching, calls and texts come in from home girls, blog buddies, and other female acquaintances, and it isn’t like how you boys want lemon pepper or medium hot wings or if you’ve remembered to set your fantasy line-ups; there are some who are just as ready as men are to get to the stadium on game day, so we can tailgate, eat good, talk shit to the opposing teams’ fans, and just have fun. There are some who get utterly disgusted by hearing their phone ring, during any part of the game, just like men do. Yes indeed; there are women out there who are so into the game, that they don’t wanna be bothered by anyone, whatsoever...unless the person calling is watching the game (or another game that has implications) as well.

Also, there are women who have to deal with men who don’t understand their fascination with football. There could be a variety of reasons for this, but the ones that immediately come to mind are either (a) he likes the game too, but he’s intimidated by the fact that you know more than he does, or (b) he doesn’t like football, and if that’s the case, RUN IMMEDIATELY. It’s easier for a man to distance himself from a woman on game day if she doesn’t like football, but I can’t imagine (and don’t even wanna begin to) what a woman has to deal with when being with a dude who doesn’t understand or respect the fact that she’s into the game. All I can say about that is I hope your relationship, interaction, or whatever it is y’all call yourselves doing is strong, because if it ain't, run away from dude. The World Cup season is too short to be dealing with someone who doesn’t get it. Just run, and run fast.

So for the women who love the game wear your colours and enjoy this World Cup. I will be sporting the three lions on me and singing Vindaloooooooooooooooooooo....England!!!  

Be easy.