Indian couple marry in France, Argentina football t-shirts
In a country that is obsessed with cricket, Keralan football fans have always stood out for their passion for the game.
The state prepared to witness the final between France and Argentina on Sunday, and it was no different.
As thousands of spectators gathered to watch the game, makeshift screens were placed up throughout the state and Argentinian and French flags floated in the breeze.
But one couple stood out for their unwavering love of the game. The final on Sunday fell on Sachin R and R Athira’s wedding day. They were in agreement about the majority of their wedding plans, but they wouldn’t agree on which team to support in the championship game.
While Athira is a fervent supporter of the French football team, Sachin is an avid admirer of Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
They were married in a ceremony performed in Kochi city hours before the two sides faced off in one of the most stunning World Cup matches in history at Qatar’s Lusail Stadium.
The couple wore number 10 jerseys over their jewellery and traditional wedding clothes; Athira wore one for French striker Kylian Mbappe and Sachin wore Argentina’s colours for Messi.
The couple reportedly hurried through their reception and wedding feast after getting married in order to go back to Sachin’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram, which is 206 kilometres (128 miles) away, in time to see what turned out to be an exciting final.
Argentina defeated Germany 4-2, winning the World Cup for the 35-year-old maestro Messi to finally hoist the trophy.
Since Sunday night, fans in Kerala, where Messi has a sizable fan following, have been celebrating the triumph by waving Argentina flags and lighting fireworks displays all around the state.
Indian couple marry in France, Argentina football t-shirts
If Argentina won, a hotel owner in Thrissur honoured his pledge to provide free biryani.
FIFA was alerted to the state’s fervour for the sport last month when it tweeted about fans erecting enormous cardboard sculptures of football legends there.
Neymar, a well-known Brazilian athlete, acknowledged the statues and thanked his local supporters.
