Sevens football in Kerala

Sevens football is a popular form of football played in Kerala. The games are played with seven players on each side, typically in a smaller field than a full-size football ground. The refereeing in the games is not as strict as in regular football and games can be rough and injury-prone[1]. Sevens, as this form of the sport is commonly known, is popular in the Malabar region including the districts of Malappuram, Kannur and Kozhikode [2].

Several Sevens tournaments among different clubs are held during the months of November through May. The All Kerala Sevens’ Football Association (SFA) organizes up to 50 tournaments across the state[3]. The matches in Sevens tournaments are often played to fully packed galleries, and occasionally even draw more crowds than regular football matches[4].

Several footballers from Kerala, including stars of the Indian national football team such as I. M. Vijayan[5] and Anas Edathodika, credit their experiences in Sevens tournaments for helping them improve their footballing skills and develop their passion for the sport[6][1]. Sevens tournaments have also attracted stars from other parts of India, including Bhaichung Bhutia[5], as well as international players including some from Africa[7]. The Malayalam movie Sudani from Nigeria was based on an African footballer who comes to Kerala to play in a Sevens tournament[4].

References
  1. "Run, Ashique, run: The Kerala speedster who turned India's premier trickster". ESPN. 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  2. "Sevens football season kicks off in Kerala". 2012-11-20. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  3. "Sevens the lifeline of state football". The New Indian Express. 2019-09-03. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  4. "How Kerala shrunk football to make it its own". Times of India. 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  5. "'Sevens football helps me retain my passion for the game'". Sportstar. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  6. "From Malappuram Sevens to Kerala Blasters - Anas Edathodika remembers his roots". Yahoo! Sports. 2019-01-29. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  7. "The African footballers changing the game in India". BBC. 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
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