All eyes are on the ongoing FIFA World Cup, and if ardent football follower Amit Sadh wasn’t caught up with his film shoot, he would have been in Qatar watching the matches live. He is following the games on TV nonetheless. In a chat with Bombay Times, the actor spoke about the tournament, his favourites and his early memories of the game.

“I have an affinity towards certain players and I want their countries to do well. I loved watching the duo Maradona-Batistuta in the 1994 World Cup and I remain a big fan of the pair and will always be. I like Messi, but I also admire Ronaldo, so I want both Argentina and Portugal to do well. Both legends are meeting the massive expectations of their fans in the WC. The last few games have been terrific. It’s probably the last time we are going to see the two of them in a WC, so I’m praying for a Portugal vs Argentina final. My money’s on Ronaldo and Portugal. His hard work, grit and determination has made him in my eyes, the ultimate GOAT. He’s also a great human being,” says the actor.

Amit hopes we get to root for India in a football WC soon. “I can’t believe we haven’t qualified yet. There’s so much love for the sport here. Also, south Asians have been in places like the UK for over 70 years, and it’s shocking that we haven’t seen more south Asians in the sport. I spend a lot of time in the UK, and I’ve seen some amazing kids, how they have not ‘made it’ to the premier league is beyond me.”

Speaking of his early memories of the game, he shared, “My father loved football and watching the games with him was where my love for the sport began. He would encourage participation as it was good for one’s overall growth and mental resilience, beyond the fitness and health aspect. You learn team work, tactics, the social aspect of it. We used to play football at school and really enjoyed it. I was an active kid and sports were a great way to let out that energy. It was the start of my path to keeping fit and healthy. I started following Manchester United as Sir Alex Ferguson took over and loved watching them evolve into one of the biggest clubs ever. Watching the class of 92 turn from kids to great players was inspiring. One of my favourites was the great Eric Cantona — great player, passionate about the sport with a striking personality.”

The actor also hailed football’s unifying force. He expressed, “It’s the biggest sport in the world played by people from all walks of life. It brings us together. Every country is so different, but we find a common ground and celebrate this tournament to bring people closer to each other. We all share the same passion for the game and in the process, we learn about different people and their culture. Every four years we go to another country and the hosts teach us so much about themselves — the language, people, food, culture, landscape and history. It brings people closer to one another.”

Sharing his thoughts on the beer ban at the stadium he says, “Yes, they have a beer ban in the stadiums, but so do various stadiums in some other countries. They are a dry country and alcohol isn’t a part of their culture, but they have designated, air conditioned fan zones where people can drink responsibly. A lot of football fans believe that football has to involve alcohol if they are to enjoy it. In many countries, football is the one of the few sports which have to have separate entrances for the away team. They have to sit separately. The amount of policing that has to go into it, is insane. I’ve been to rugby matches, everyone mixes, they are trusted to drink in the stadiums, way less policing, children can watch in peace and at the end of the game, they shake hands with opposition fans and leave. I’m not saying alcohol is solely responsible, but it plays a big part. I think this World Cup, fans will realise that they can still enjoy the game this way — without getting drunk.”