MA Yusuf Ali may own football club as Kerala celebrates first Santosh Trophy win
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Kochi: Ahead of the golden jubilee celebrations of Kerala's maiden Santosh Trophy triumph, billionaire entrepreneur M.K. Yusuf Ali, at the helm of the Lulu Group, is reportedly considering a foray into the realm of football.
Sources reveal that Ali has received an invitation from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to become the latest investor in the iconic Mohammedan Sporting Football Club.
Sources in the know of things say that Ali is keen to own a club in Kerala, from where he hails and where soccer is a part of the life of the average common man.
Ali's purported interest has sparked anticipation among the football community, with expectations that he may kick-start the process by hosting a day-long event to commemorate the golden jubilee of Kerala's triumphant Santosh Trophy campaign in 1973.
In a nail-biting final, Kerala considered underdogs, clinched victory with a 3-2 score against Railways.
As part of the celebrations, a special program is slated to take place later this year, bringing together the team members and support staff from the historic 1973 victory to the Maharaja's College ground—the very arena where they etched their names in Kerala's sporting history.
Football enthusiasts view this as a gesture to honour those who propelled Kerala to success and inspired a new generation of footballers in the state.