Mohammed Saleem with his grandchildrenThe love for the beautiful game among the people of Malappuram is quite well known. And Koorimannil Pattiyil Mohammed Saleem is no different. Football is next only to his mother as far as the most important things in his life is concerned.
Not only does he love the game, but he has actually made an effort to pass his passion for football on to his offspring too. When he became a father in 1982, he named the girl Fathima Soccey, the last name being a tweaked version of soccer.
The third child - a boy - was born on May 6, 1988, and Mohammed Saleem had plans to name him Mayor that would rhyme with his date of birth. But being a football fanatic, he changed his mind and looked for a name that would relate to soccer or football. Finally, he named the boy Ahammed Milas Socco.
Fully aware about his passion for football, none of the family members objected to his choice. Fathima Soccey is currently living with her husband in Abu Dhabi, while Socco works as an architect in Sharjah.
The couple’s second child’s name is also peculiar. Ayisha Jenny owes her second name to Karl Marx’s wife Baroness Jenny von Westphalen.
Mohammed Saleem had worked in different cities around the world before he settled in his home town in Anakkayam in 2002. He constructed a house near his ancestral home. The house’s layout also is connected to football. In Saleem’s words, it was built in the 5-1-1-1 formation: five bedrooms, one drawing room, dining room and a kitchen. He did not think twice before naming his house ‘Soccer Home’.
Most of the family members are ardent supporters of the Brazil national team. However, Fathima Soccey’s 14-year-old son Faseeh is a Messi fan and an Argentina loyalist.
According to Saleem, the soccer craze among the young generation has been getting out of hand of late. “A true football fan should be able to support a team that plays well. Your loyalty to a particular team should not be a deterrent to enjoying the game,” Saleem says, making it clear that he is a real fan who enjoys the game, irrespective of the team.
Ahead of the World Cup, he replaced his old TV with a large LED TV to watch the matches with his wife Abida and grandchildren. And with Eid-ul-Fitr coinciding with the World Cup this year, a festive mood has been prevailing at ‘Soccer Home’ for the past few weeks.
Read: Latest World Cup News
