Wadakkanchery: As football fever sweeps the globe, a group of young artists from Naduthara has created a unique tribute to the FIFA World Cup by painting the captains of all 48 participating nations on a single giant canvas. Stretching 600 feet in length and 8 feet in width, the artwork also features the national flags of the competing countries and has emerged as a major attraction for football fans in the region.

The initiative was spearheaded by C K Suraj Kumar, who had earlier earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for painting portraits of world leaders and deities inside eggs through a tiny aperture. Working alongside fellow artists Sreekanth, Vimesh and Riyas, Suraj completed the mammoth project after eight days of relentless effort.

Adding an emotional touch to the canvas is the image of an Indian boy in football boots gazing at an Indian jersey. Vivek, Unni Mangalam and Sushreeb Kumar assisted the artists in completing the project.The eco-friendly art gallery, created entirely on cloth, was put on display at the Government Boys High School ground in Wadakkanchery, attracting hundreds of visitors, including students and football enthusiasts.

A felicitation function was later held to honour the artists for their unique achievement. Municipal Chairperson Mini Aravindan presided over the event. Vice Chairperson P N Surendran, municipal councillors P N Vaishakh and E Krishnanunni, Forane Church Vicar Fr Varghese Tharakan, Shashikumar Kodaykkadath, Ajith Kumar Mallayya, E K Kumaran, Nithya Sagar and P G Ravindran also addressed the gathering.