Sixty year old truck driver’s football video goes viral

Just two more days for the World Cup 2018 finals and, the FIFA World Cup has the young and old across the world in the grip of football fever. Back in Kerala, along with the screams for Harry Kane or Luka Modrić, the people are woohooing for a sixty year old truck drivers moves.

The Kerala Tourism department, as part of its campaign to woo tourists, has launched the video of James PH, who shows off his impressive football skills. Called Soccer at 60, the video was posted on the tourism department’s Facebook page and has gone viral.

Soccer 60 shows James playing and watching football with youngsters from his village in Wayanad. James is seen dribbling the ball, chesting, and kicking it with the vigour of a 25-year-old. “Though I might lack a bit in speed, I play the entire match with them,” he says.

James was once a star player of the local team, Ambalavayal FC, in the 1980s, but, he still plays with the young footballers of his village almost every day. Recalling the golden days, James says it is a lot easier today for football fans today. “We used to walk kilometres to catch a world cup match on a small black and white TV. Today, every little town has so many big screens for the public,” he says.

Ask him about the secret of his health, James says, “Everybody wants to know what I eat to keep me playing at 60. It’s simple. Roasted groundnuts. It gives me the stamina.”