like FIFA World Cup goes into its final stretch, one fan who finds it difficult to keep up with the schedule is none other than Amitabh Bachchan. The veteran actor says the late-night and early-morning tour starts have completely changed his daily routine, but he’s not complaining. In his latest blog, Bachchan reflected on the unpredictability of football, the rise of teenage stars and why the World Cup continues to surprise audiences across generations.
Writing on his Tumblr blog, Amitabh admitted that following the tour has messed with his sense of time.
“Timelines and the idea of time gone wrong… the reason of course is WC 2026… the times to watch are strange and make our days worse… but we watch, we cheer, we repent,” he wrote.
The actor said one of the biggest joys of the tournament has been seeing the underdogs challenge the traditional giants of football. While some well-known nations have fallen earlier than expected, lesser-known teams have grabbed the spotlight with fearless performances.
“Most of the well-known and popular football countries have sadly lost… but I am delighted that the ones we never imagined fought back and won recognition. They keep saying, ‘May the best team win’, but we never know who the best team is until the results come out,” he wrote.
Bachchan also marveled at the unique nature of international football, where players who spend the club season competing against each other put rivalries aside to represent their countries on the world stage. Drawing a parallel closer to home, he compared it to the Indian Premier League, where cricketers wear different franchise colors before reuniting for Team India.
“Like in the IPL, players play for different team franchises and become competitors. But when they all come together for the national team, they are one,” he wrote, adding that such a transition “needs character”.
Another aspect of the World Cup that caught Bachchan’s attention was the number of teenagers who thrived under the greater spotlight of the sport. He also mentioned how wonderful it is to see 17- and 18-year-olds carrying the hopes of entire nations, prompting him to compare their achievements to his youth.
“The evolution of fresh talent appears at every World Cup. We learn that 17- and 18-year-olds represent an entire nation. We ask ourselves, ‘What were we doing at that age?’ and realize we were never like them,” he wrote.
The actor expanded that thought into a broader reflection on how each generation experiences a different world. As today’s youth inherit opportunities and advancements unimaginable decades ago, older generations can only wonder how their lives might have unfolded under similar circumstances.
Ending on an upbeat note, Bachchan turned his attention away from football.
“Youngsters will witness what’s yet to come, and that’s a joy… There’s little sunshine around where I live and I’ve got to soak up whatever little I can… Happy sunshine.”
