03 June,2026 05:33 PM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | PTI
Lionel Messi cut out installed by fans ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, at Chellanam, in Kochi. Image courtesy: PTI
A modest house tucked away in Nenmara in Kerala's Palakkad district has become an unlikely attraction as football fans and curious visitors stop by for selfies and photographs.
Painted entirely in Brazil's iconic yellow and green colours and decorated with football and World Cup imagery from gate to rooftop, the house stands out as a vibrant tribute to the sport.
The eye-catching home has become a symbol of the football fever that is once again sweeping across Kerala as anticipation builds ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
As the countdown to football's biggest spectacle in three countries of the American continent enters its final days,
Kerala's passionate fans are leaving little doubt that the tournament is as much a festival here as it is in the host nation.
Across villages, towns and coastal hamlets, giant cutouts of football superstars are rising above coconut groves, enormous flex boards are appearing along highways, youngsters are rehearsing victory chants and fans are proudly donning the jerseys of their favourite teams.
For Shafeer, a resident of Nenmara in Palakkad and a lifelong Brazil admirer, supporting the five-time champions goes beyond merely watching matches.
His entire house and compound wall now wear Brazil's colours.
"Brazil team is my life. I don't have anything more to say. Some passions simply cannot be measured," he says with a smile.
His wife Shamna, who shares his love for the Selecao, says the house has become so popular that locals now refer to it simply as the "Brazil Veedu" (Brazil House).
Visitors frequently stop by for photographs, turning the residence into an unlikely selfie destination.
Hundreds of kilometres away, in the coastal village of Chellanam in Ernakulam district, Argentina supporters have made their own statement.
With the support of parents and local residents, a group of teenage fans recently erected a towering cutout of Lionel Messi that now dominates the village skyline.
Videos of teenagers standing in front of the Messi cutout and raising slogans of "Argentina Vamos" have gone viral on social media.
"It was the result of three to four days of continuous hard work. Our fathers also joined us. Everyone wanted this cutout to become a reality," one of the young organisers said.
The friendly rivalry that defines Kerala's football culture is already in full swing.
Local Brazil supporters in the area say an even larger cutout of Neymar is being prepared and will soon challenge Messi's towering presence.
In Kongad near Palakkad, die-hard Argentina fans have erected an enormous flex board along the busy Palakkad-Cherpulassery road.
Packed with images of Messi, his co-players and memorable moments from Argentina's football journey, the installation has become a talking point across the state.
Videos showing dozens of fans carrying the giant structure into position have attracted widespread attention online.
"We put up flex boards during every World Cup. This time we simply made it much bigger. We wanted to create something that would surprise Kerala, and I think we succeeded," said one of the members of the local football club behind the initiative.
One social media user, who shared a video of the flex board, joked that he initially mistook it for a container lorry.
"You keep walking and walking, and it still doesn't end," he remarked, referring to its length.
Drone visuals of giant cutouts and colourful flex boards standing amid Kerala's lush paddy fields have further amplified the World Cup buzz online.
Equally popular are videos of young fans rapidly naming football stars from different countries while dressed in team jerseys.
The football fever is not confined to displays and decorations.
In neighbourhoods across the state, local turfs are witnessing a surge in activity as fans prepare for friendly matches inspired by the World Cup.
At nearby Thottumukku, friends Shan and Aman are among those planning pre-World Cup football events.
"Here we have supporters of almost every major team. Argentina may have more fans in our village, but there are plenty who support Brazil and Portugal too. We are planning friendly matches where everyone will wear their favourite team's jersey," Shan told PTI.
Football's emotional grip on Kerala is hardly new.
For decades, the state has nurtured a deep affection for the sport, fuelled by local sevens tournaments, television broadcasts and generations of fans who grew up idolising legends from Pele and Maradona to Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar.
Every four years, that passion spills out from living rooms onto streets, beaches and village squares.
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