Football is one of the most followed and played sport around the world. It’s a test of strength, determination and skill with the ball.

To most it’s just another sport. But being a devoted fan, I find that there is much more to football than meets the eye. It isn’t just a sport of the elite, like polo, for instance, or golf; it’s also a street sport, a low-maintenance passion. In fact, many professional players were once street game champs and community celebrities.

In our country, football is evidently neglected and does not receive the recognition it deserves. No wonder much of the talent that shows in our streets goes unrewarded and unutilised.

From the well equipped grounds in Phase V, DHA, which have the luxury of flood lights, to the narrow streets of Sadar Bazaar where the young street boys’ field of play extends to just about as much as their imagination and determination do.

After iftaar, every night (and, yes, it doesn’t have to be a weekend!), under the cover of darkness, young boys set out into the streets, sporting (cheaper variations of) their favourite club shirts with the names of the living legends inscribed at the back. They play the game which is closely associated to their hearts. Their level of excitement and interest which often remains camouflaged to the eyes of the public is overwhelming.

"Goaaall!!" shouts Ali, as he guides the ball between the two bricks placed at one end of the street that is marked as the goal.

Ali, one of the street footballers I have encountered, plays with his friends in the streets of Sadar Bazaar late after iftaar when the traffic is reduced to the minimum.

"We gather here every day to play football," he says, gushingly. "It brings us great joy!"

The devotion and attachment the youngsters show towards the game is truly a fascinating sight. Willing enough to play even in some cramped street with barely an appropriate gear and showing neither a hint of dismay or lack of spirit, using a considerably small area which is available to them and acclimatising according to whatever conditions that may be; that’s how these boys are game.

At times, the sight of the play becomes lively with people of any age stopping by -- as if to relive their own memories of the game they may have played in the street.

Every child has his own football story. The sacrifices he made to make time for the sport, to witness the trajectory of the ball after it is given a boost with his kicks.

There is indeed a great deal of pressure the street sportsmen face. For some it is a secret they attempt to keep from their families almost every night, because they are supposed to be studying or sleeping, or just because they aren’t allowed to play in the late hours.

But the love for the game is great enough. It is common to see children, barefoot but high-spirited, use plastic bottles and bricks to demarcate their goals on the alleyways and pathways in Lahore’s downtown areas. As such, football becomes a ‘bridge builder’ between different classes of society and even those from different cities and countries.

In Pakistan, football is definitely not the sport with which hopes have been attached. The authorities haven’t looked at the possibility of developing the facilities required. It’s a neglected sport, to say the least. The coverage or publicity it gets is far less as compared to what other sports such as cricket and even kabaddi do.

Interestingly, however, the level of interest among the general public, chiefly the youngsters, hasn’t died. In fact, it has only increased over time. Regardless of the lack of resources or the difficulties they face, the young boys still manage to play it.

The story of sacrifice continues as the boys are often discouraged to continue with the sport after a certain point in their life when, for instance, they are out of college/university. Football surely cannot be a career goal, their parents tell them point-blank. Besides, overindulging it is considered a waste of time.

Sometimes people from humble backgrounds are compelled to stop their children from ‘wasting’ their time in any sport whatsoever because then they ignore their other, ‘necessary’ chores such as buying home grocery. The reason is simple: Our society cannot afford to invest in anything that will not pay any dividends. Conclusively, the aforementioned reasons also show why Pakistan has not been able to produce high quality football players apart from a countable few. The likes of Kalimullah Khan who is the first Pakistani to be signed to a club abroad, serve as an inspiration to millions back home. Does anyone care?