{
  "id": 11658946,
  "title": "After 11 World Cups, football finally comes home for one Indian fan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/after-11-world-cups-football-finally-comes-home-for-one-indian-fan-11658946",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T09:38:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/10/03/after-11-world-cups-football-finally-comes-home-for-one-indian-fan"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kolkata: Indian football aficionado Dipak Nandy, 77, will witness Brazil face India in their inaugural international friendly match on Saturday, a rare occasion for him. Having attended all 11 World Cups, this particular game holds special significance as Brazil visit Nandy's hometown of Kolkata. Despite his extensive World Cup attendance, Nandy will enjoy the match from the comfort of his home as he watches the action unfold on television. A lifelong football enthusiast, Nandy's passion began in 1966 after watching video reels of the World Cup brought back by Indian former footballer and coach Amal Dutta from England. It took Nandy 15 days to secure his passport and attend the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, marking his first-ever World Cup experience. Among his cherished memories are the seven matches involving Argentine legend Diego Maradona, whom Nandy describes as a once-in-a-lifetime player. Nandy, who watched Maradona score two goals against England in the 1986 final, boasts of attending every World Cup since then, including the 2022 edition co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada. Despite not regretting his relentless pursuit of World Cup matches, Nandy expresses pride in his lifelong dedication to the sport. He attributes India's poor performance in football to the country's diverse culture, weak organization, and the popularity of cricket, which hampers football's growth in the world's most populous nation.",
  "summary": "77-year-old Dipak Nandy has attended every World Cup since 1986 and will watch Brazil play India in Kolkata.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "After 11 World Cups, football finally comes home for one Indian fan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/after-11-world-cups-football-finally-comes-home-for-one-indian-fan",
        "published": "2026-10-03T09:38:06.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}