Ambani in Liverpool takeover bid: Budding from the tradition of team sports, the game of football involves varying degrees of enthusiasm. Football is bestowed with the accolade of being the most famous sport with over 3.5 billion fans globally. Indians are revitalising their passion for the game. The recently concluded 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup documented an all-time high with a total of 1,347,133 attendances, surpassing China’s 1985 edition.
Owing to the growth of the sport a number of institutionalised developments are hitting the grounds. Conversely, the introduction of Indian Super League in the year 2014 proved to be a game changer in re-revolutionizing the game amongst the youth.
In agreement with this, a monumental breaking point can set in with the entry of Mukesh Ambani in the race for acquiring the Europe’s premiere football club Liverpool FC. The club has been instrumental in the growth of the sport in the west and has a legendary legacy to couple with it.
Prospects of the deal to the future of football in India
Customarily, football has been among the top three most popular sports in India with respect to players-participation and television viewership. Only cricket and kabaddi supersede the popularity of this game. However, the growing fervour for football in India could be the motivation behind Ambani’s interest in acquiring Liverpool FC.
The famous business tycoon has been instrumental in providing a breeding ground for youth in cricket through his magnanimous franchise of Mumbai Indians. Therefore, if the Liverpool deal becomes a reality, the raw talents in India can get a platform to showcase their skills.
Further, the move can be significant in establishing the roots of the game in India. With this, players from diverse backgrounds can avail the opportunity of training with internationally established players.
Additionally, it will be a path breaking step towards luring the greats of the game to participate in the domestic football leagues. That is to say, the deal can materialize into large scale sporting infrastructure advancement alongside economic and social benefits.
Rationale behind Mukesh Ambani’s interest in Liverpool
It is not the first time that Mukesh Ambani has showed interest in acquiring an English Premier League Club. Previously, Subrata Roy of Sahara Group and Ambani were interested in purchasing 51% of the club’s stake from former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Moreover, Ambani is also the commercial partner of the ‘All India Football Federation’ (AIFF) at the present juncture.
The present speculation around this development is in tune with the statement of the Fenway Sports Group that owns Liverpool. The statement states, “FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions, we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.”
Furthermore, the as per the reports of the Mirror, “Ambani has made an enquiry with regards to purchasing Liverpool after the news that current owners, the Fenway Sports Group, were willing to listen to offers of £4billion.”
Also Read: Supreme Court chokeslams Praful Patel for destroying Indian football
Bright future of football in India
The recent conclusion of the U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 in India has been followed up by positive remarks from the Chairman of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). Moving ahead, the recent inauguration of the International Blind Football Asia-Oceania Championship at Kochi is a significant step towards the advancement of the game in India. The event which kicked in from the November 12, 2022 is a historic development. It is for the first time in India that a para-football event will have 10 men’s teams and 2 women’s teams.
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