Hosting U-17 football World Cup will inspire kids: Ganguly

A self-confessed football fan, Sourav Ganguly today hoped Indian football would get a huge boost by hosting the Under-17 World Cup in 2017 and said he was looking forward to see Brazil in its elements in the 2014 extravaganza.
"I'm sure the 2017 World Cup will give a big push to the sport. It will bring young kids back to the fields. I know cricket attracts a lot of kids who want to be like Sachin or nowadays Virat Kohli," the former India captain said.
"U-17 World Cup 2017 will bring a lot of young boys. It's a fantastic sport. The passion and the excitement the sport can generate is unbelievable," he said on the sidelines of FIFA World Cup's India leg tour.

"I'm sure all of us will agree that the sport has taken a beating in Kolkata and India. It needs a massive push to bring it back to where it was. Kolkata will remain always the heart of football. We all want to see the game go back to where it was."
Batting for Brazil, Ganguly further added: "Football in Brazil is complete different. Football is at its greatest when Brazil are at their best. They have the team to win the Trophy.
"I'm keen to watch Neymar who has set the world on fire. Hope he stays fit. He can make a massive difference to Brazil.

"If Brazil is the heart of world football, Kolkata is the heart of Indian football," he added.
Ganguly said he grew up watching football.