The IFA Shield is an annual football competition organized by the Indian Football Association. The Indian Football Association is the association governing football in the state of West Bengal, came into existence in 1893 and the IFA Shield Tournament was started in the same year. It is India's one of the oldest football tournament and the fourth oldest Cup in the world. During the initial years , the IFA Shield was dominated by British army teams. However, their stranglehold over the Shield was broken in 1911, when #Mohun Bagan Athletic Club became the first Indian team to win the IFA Shield by defeating East Yorkshire Regiment 2-1. That was a historic moment for Indian football, as the natives beat the Englishmen at their own game.
It established football as the most popular game in Bengal – this was a game where Indians could compete with British overlords and trump them. 80,000 people wildly cheered Mohun Bagan during the final match. Iconic Bagan captain #Shibdas Bhaduri played a crucial role scoring a goal and assisting Abhilas Ghosh’s winner. Most Mohun Bagan players played bare feet while East Yorkshire Regiment played with proper footballing equipment.[9][10] This win was considered a landmark victory in the Indian freedom struggle.
No comments:
Post a Comment