Demonstrating merit of team work Lessons for Manipur
|
Considered the biggest show on earth, the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup lived up to the billing of the beautiful game pockmarked with what some have preferred to refer to as a ‘physical game,’ in reference to the not so beautiful side of the game. The 2026 edition of the World Cup saw an expanded format with 48 teams battling it out on the football grounds spread across Canada, the United States and Mexico and ultimately what emerged was team work and co-ordination topping individual brilliance and there is a lesson to be learnt here for everyone, particularly for a place like Manipur. It was not the brilliance of Lionel Messi nor the blistering pace and power packed kicks of Kylian Mbappe which carried their respective teams through, but team work, a perfect co-ordination between the different players, each putting their best foot forward in their assigned position and switching responsibility as and when the occasion warrants and this was what Spain, the ultimate champion showed to the world. A lesson to be learnt for everyone, particularly for a place like Manipur, which seems to have too many ‘strikers,’ too many ‘playmakers,’ too many ‘midfielders,’ too many ‘defenders’ and yes too many pushing their way to be the goalkeeper ! A situation which can only work to the advantage of the adversary, a situation which everyone in Manipur must be familiar with. A tragedy it is, but making things worse is obviously the failure or unwillingness of the people to call out the truth and highlight the reality for ultimately all the ‘players’ jostling for a space of their choice have the uncanny habit of striking common ground whenever such a situation arises. The FIFA World Cup is over and the world has a new champion and one will have to wait till 2030 to see if the definition of team work given by the Spanish side would have left any impact on football philosophy. An answer which will become evident in the top notch European and South American leagues but for a place like Manipur, the spirit that needs to be imbibed should be seen and understood beyond the game of football and what is dished out on the different football fields. The lesson that should be picked up is definitely the spirit and philosophy of team work. What Manipur needs at this point of time is each one working and contributing his or her mite, in their own way, to the cause of the land and the people. This is where different personalities and different organisations need to come around to the idea that what Manipur needs today is team work, a team work in which the role of everyone should be noted and respected. Not necessarily the ones with the loudest lung power or the one with the strongest muscle power.
Look at how the champion team played. Each player contributing his mite to get the ultimate trophy means something for the whole team. A combination of the midfield working in perfect tandem with the centre forwards or the strikers, the wingers looking to float the ball into the penalty area of the rival team, the defenders co-ordinating among themselves to ensure that the ball does not go past them for the rival team to have a shot at the goal and the custodian under the bar there to punch away the ball to safety. As the 2026 World Cup edition showed, it was not individual brilliance alone that enabled Spain to lay their hands on the coveted World Cup trophy, but the perfect or near perfect co-ordination amongst all the players out there on the field. A fitting lesson for a place like Manipur and if the people and the place must walk the path to progress and take steps to ensure that the idea of the place is protected, then the role of each and everyone should be taken into consideration. For this to come to fruition, what is needed is a system, a system that recognises the role of everyone and not let anyone come under the impression that they can brush aside the role of anyone under one pretext or the other. The 2026 World Cup is over and even as everyone acknowledges the splendid performance of the champion team, a leaf or two should be taken from the way they approached the game. A lesson for everyone, particularly for a place like Manipur.
Look at how the champion team played. Each player contributing his mite to get the ultimate trophy means something for the whole team. A combination of the midfield working in perfect tandem with the centre forwards or the strikers, the wingers looking to float the ball into the penalty area of the rival team, the defenders co-ordinating among themselves to ensure that the ball does not go past them for the rival team to have a shot at the goal and the custodian under the bar there to punch away the ball to safety. As the 2026 World Cup edition showed, it was not individual brilliance alone that enabled Spain to lay their hands on the coveted World Cup trophy, but the perfect or near perfect co-ordination amongst all the players out there on the field. A fitting lesson for a place like Manipur and if the people and the place must walk the path to progress and take steps to ensure that the idea of the place is protected, then the role of each and everyone should be taken into consideration. For this to come to fruition, what is needed is a system, a system that recognises the role of everyone and not let anyone come under the impression that they can brush aside the role of anyone under one pretext or the other. The 2026 World Cup is over and even as everyone acknowledges the splendid performance of the champion team, a leaf or two should be taken from the way they approached the game. A lesson for everyone, particularly for a place like Manipur.