Kerala beckons football-crazy travellers with bicycle kick installation ahead of World Cup

'Nobody lives the World Cup like Kerala,' says the latest post on the popular Instagram page of Kerala Tourism, which celebrates the upcoming soccer showcase that begins on June 11. The post showcases the viral 'Palappally football ground' in Thrissur, various massive player cutouts, and a colourful installation featuring a bicycle kick!

For those wondering where to check it out, here's what you need to know. The installation is located in Kunnumala, Kerala's Malappuram district. The structure, made of plastic bottles and set up by the Municipality, also aims to spread the message of nature conservation. 

A bicycle kick is an acrobatic football kick that is also known as an 'overhead kick.' The footballer is airborne while executing it. The bicycle kicks of players like  Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Pelé, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have made headlines several times. In the previous World Cup, which was held in Qatar in 2022, Brazil's Richarlison famously scored a legendary bicycle kick goal in the match against Serbia. It was also voted as the 'goal of the tournament.' 

How the installation was made
The installation was made from plastic bottles discarded in 45 wards of Malappuram, aiming for a plastic-free district. There are around 6,000 bottles, together weighing about 80 kg and 73 kg of metal wires used in the installation. It took 9 days to make, at a cost of Rs 43,000. The installation is located next to a massive football that represents past World Cups.