Qatar World Cup 2022: Jerseys, flags of Argentina, Brazil, Portugal and more sell like hot cakes in Kolkata
Ahead of the Qatar World Cup 2022, jerseys and flags of countries like Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Germany and Spain are hot property in Kolkata's Maidan market.
FollowIn search of the jersey number of their favourite players, hundreds of football fans push over mounds of jerseys. Welcome to Maidan Market in Kolkata, which is eerily reminiscent of the streets of Qatar, the country where the FIFA World Cup 2022 will begin on Sunday.
In a nook of the famous Maidan market, jerseys and flags of nations like Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, and Spain are in high demand as fervent football fans wait up outside stores to get a chance to take home a piece of sartorial glory.
"We have been witnessing a huge demand since the last one week. Flags and jerseys of Argentina are the most sought after, followed by Brazil. We expect this frenzy to continue throughout the duration of the World Cup," said Azis Sheikh, a shopkeeper at Maidan Market.
The World Cup begins later on Sunday, when host country Qatar takes on Ecuador in the opening match.
"I have bought flags of all major football-playing countries for display in and around my locality. I have been doing the same before the start of the mega tournament for two decades now," Konnagar resident Dulal Sarkar said. Sheikh said on an average, around 500 jerseys have been sold daily since the last four days.
In the market, a jersey set, which consists of a t-shirt and shorts, costs between Rs 600 and Rs 800, while a standard-sized flag costs Rs 150.
Jerseys are also available for children, as young as two years, starting from Rs 300 per set, Sheikh said.
"We are die-hard fans of Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), and the entire family wears the jersey of the country while watching football matches featuring Ronaldo. For this World Cup, I have bought a jersey for my 4-year-old son, too," said Sohail Khan, an IT professional who resides in Garia.
Football fans claimed that because of the market's affordable prices, which are significantly lower than those on e-commerce platforms, it is the best place to buy jerseys, flags, and other accessories.
"I bought a jersey set of Lionel Messi (Argentina) for Rs 600 at Maidan Market. It is priced in excess of Rs 1,100 on several e-commerce sites," Ankur Hazra, who plays football at the club level, said.
Shopkeepers said that printing names and numbers on jerseys is also in heavy demand. An alphabet or a number can be printed on a jersey for Rs 10 each, said Shoaib, who owns a shop at the market for the last 12 years.
(With inputs from PTI)
