MAPUSA: Pradeep Chodankar is trying to give football fans in Goa a closer glimpse of the Fifa World Cup Since 1998, when the World Cup was played in France, Chodankar has been putting up an exhibition in Mapusa that gives enthusiasts a closer peek at the biggest sporting spectacle on earth. Chodankar himself has never been to the World Cup; he's saving enough for the next edition four years later in Doha, but his exhibition is the closest that you can get to the World Cup, if you cannot afford to make the expensive trip."This provides me with lot of satisfaction. Many fans and school students come and visit my exhibition and I feel satisfied to have done my bit," says Chodankar, a retired teacher at the SFX High School in Siolim.The exhibition at residence in Gaunsavaddo, Mapusa, will run till the conclusion of the World Cup on July 15.The exhibition showcases posters of famous footballers who have left their mark in previous editions of the World Cup. There are flags of every participating country and the schedule of every match. The highlight, though, remains a replica of the match ball and, of course, the Jules Rimet trophy that each of the 32 teams are battling for.Chodankar has also neatly preserved all the dates of the World Cups held since inception in 1930."I am doing all this for the love of the game. I am trying to create love for football among all Goans. Football, as we all know, is in our blood but we need to be more disciplined," said Chodankar.Putting up an exhibition like this one doesn't come cheap. During the last edition in 2014, Chodankar needed Rs 2.65 lakh for the exhibition and he still ended up with excess of Rs 5,000 thanks to his "rich friends" who donated generously. He promptly gave away that money to charity.This time around, he is running short of Rs 32,000 for the first phase itself and may have to discontinue if he doesn't have enough in hand for the second phase. Politicians like Francis D'Souza and Michael Lobo have been lending him a helping hand."I have always been a strong supporter of Brazil. I like their style of play. They are very simple players, who are talented and have contributed a lot to the beautiful game with their innovative moves," he said.Brazil haven't had the best of starts at the World Cup but Chodankar's exhibition is off to a flying start.

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