Argentina vs France: When his sons-in-law cheered for opposing teams, this is what Anand Mahindra wished

Industrialist Anand Mahindra's family is multicultural; the FIFA 2022 final night saw different rooting for opposing teams.

Mahindra has two sons-in-law, one French and one Mexican. The former backed his country France which was playing in the final. Mexico did not advance to the round of 16 in 2022, so the second son-in-law chose to favour Argentina.

The industrialist sat between the two men yelling 'Allez Les Bleus ( 'Go Blues!' in French) and "Vamos Argentina" ( Go Arentina! in Spanish).


He revealed what he, as an Indian, quietly wished then - that India make its FIFA World Cup debut in the next edition in 2026

"Watching the WC final on TV sitting between my French son in law who’s screaming 'Allez Les Bleus' and my Mexican son in law who’s chanting 'Vamos Argentina', and I’m sitting and quietly whispering 'Chak De India—in ‘26', " Mahindra's tweet said

His tweet received over 60,000 likes, with many people expressing his view. "Someday," tweeted ed-tech startup Byju's, an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2022.

One user speculated that Indians would be eligible by 2034-2038, as football is growing more popular.

Another said: India 2026 is nowhere near a possibility with our roadmaps offered by AIFF. They need moderation. Nobody knows who will come in, but for the time being, it's just a business where everyone wants to line their wallets,"

FAQ

Who won the FIFA World Cup 2022?
Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 for the first time since 1986, led by Lionel Messi. France battled hard to write history but was defeated 4-2 in a penalty shootout.

Who won the Golden Boot this year?
Kylian Mbappé, France's outstanding striker, has won the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot title after scoring three goals in Sunday's final against Argentina, increasing his tournament total to eight.