LUCKNOW, July 23 -- Courtesy the two losses in June, the Indian men's football team has slumped to its lowest rankings in nine years after dropping six places to 133rd in the latest FIFA rankings released in July 2025. If this isn't upsetting enough for fans here, then the Uttar Pradesh football team hasn't played in the knockouts of the prestigious Santosh Trophy National Championships for several years now. However, enthusiasts in Lucknow, which has a rich history of club football since the 1950s, have somehow found a way to retain their fandom despite the setbacks. They still throng Lucknow's biggest football destination at the Chowk Stadium daily in huge numbers to watch the ongoing District Football League being organised by the Lucknow Football Association. City Club still happens to be the oldest-ever football club in the state capital. It used to challenge the biggest clubs of the country, such as Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and even Churchill Brothers, and even managed to produce a number of players for Uttar Pradesh to play in the Santosh Trophy. "Football isn't only a sport, but a madness for people here in Lucknow as one can see at least two dozen former players watching every day's proceedings of the district football league even now," said Lucknow Football Association (LFA) secretary and former junior national player Kanhaya Lal on Tuesday. "India's ranking or the poor standard of Uttar Pradesh football make little sense for fans here as they enjoy the game in huge numbers every day," said Lal, who has been managing the football activities in the district since 2002. "Qasim, Saeed, Usman Bhai and even Habul Daada took the Lucknow football to new heights in the post-Independence era, and that legacy is carried forward even now, as I haven't seen any break in the conduct of the district football league since 2000," said Lal. He also said that Ranmadheen Inter College used to be the biggest place of activities for both football and hockey in the past. "I was told to stay with football by Habul Daada when I was just a beginner in the sport at the Ramadheen Inter College ground as many top players of Lucknow like Vijay Thapa, Rajan Khushwa, Mehndi Abbas, Nawab Hadi, Jamal Bhai, Akbar, Saleem, Kaisar Mirza etc., did play for City Club in big events in the country." Other players of Lucknow like Murari Lal, Prem Narayan, Prem Lal, Lallu Singh, Mehndi Abbas, Salli Sahib, Agnan Sahib, Nawab Hadi, Jaffar Raja, Vijay Thapa, Vinod (Jr), Vinod (Sr), Roopchand, Kishori, Khaje, Anil Yadav, Prem Raj etc., too played for Uttar Pradesh in Santosh Trophy. He confirmed that even now Lucknow has over 1,500 footballers associated with clubs here. "In this year's league, 24 teams are participating, and the standard of the game has gone up with the induction of the city's first professional academy such as Lucknow Falcons of the Ekana Sportz City." "A professional approach to the game is a must for the uplift of football and footballers in the state capital, and I am sure that with a professional academy like Lucknow Falcons, the city's football standard will go further up," added Lal. He also said that the recent friendly match between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal at the KD Singh 'Babu' Stadium here was a great initiative of the state government for the growth of football. "The match reignited the fire for the sport. I feel that now the government should dedicate the Babu Stadium for football activities only. It's in the heart of the city and will attract more youngsters to play football," added lal. Former national-level footballer and now director of sports in Uttar Pradesh, RP Singh also said that there was no dearth of football talent, but they needed to be guided properly. "I can see many units fighting to grab power to run football activities in the state capital, and it has divided players into factions, which shouldn't be. There should be one power centre and every player should play under one umbrella," he said, adding, "Here comes the role of the state association, which needs to unite the different factions."...