Did India miss the 1950 FIFA World Cup for playing barefoot? New book debunks theory

FIFA World Cup, according to a new book on the history of the national football team. The new book 'Box to Box: 75 years of the Indian football team', edited by noted football journalist Jaydeep Basu and young journalist Sayan Mukherjee, is a collection of essays and interviews from prominent players of yesteryears as well some of the best football writers in the country. It traces the journey of the national team since independence, how it became the champions of Asia during its 'golden period' and how it faded from the 1970s onwards.

The book, which hit the stands this month, is a treasure-trove of facts, interesting anecdotes, cultural roots of football, untold and forgotten stories and first person interviews of the some of the finest stars of the game like Tulsidas Balaram, Sudhir Karmakar and Bhaichung Bhutia. In the essay titled 'The Blunder of the Century', Basu debunked several theories on India not sending a team in the 1950 World Cup after the national team qualified for it following the withdrawals of Burma (now Myanmar) and the Philippines. "...there was no specific reason behind the move except the lackadaisical attitude of AIFF officials.

There was no question of FIFA objecting to Indians playing barefoot -- it's a fancy theory generated much later," Basu, considered an authority on Indian football, wrote. "Raising money from making such a long trip was of course a headache. But the problem was solved as three state associations came to the AIFF's rescue.

FIFA too promised to help. A camp was also organised for a short period in Calcutta (now Kolkata). "But what finally resulted in the trip failing through was the indecisiveness of the AIFF brass.