My all-time favorite teams till the conclusion of the 19th edition of IPL in 2026 are Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Both have faced each other 41 times so far, out of which Mumbai has won 21 and Chennai has won 20. Although both the franchises have won the IPL title five times each – making it the league’s biggest rivalry – the four finals played between the two have been even more interesting. In these, Mumbai is ahead by 3-1. Despite being a sports lover who covers cricket in many newspapers, I have always been happy with the victory of either of these two teams. Many people have asked me how two teams can be my favorites at the same time. My answer has always been simple – the story of human civilization is fundamentally the story of migration. People have been continuously moving from one region to another and from one continent to another in search of better opportunities, security, food and prosperity. Climate-change, conflicts, and the need for resources have shaped the world’s demography, languages, and cultures. This is why I love both CSK and MI. One represents my birthplace and the other my workplace. While boarding a plane from Mumbai, I speak Marathi so fluently that no one would guess that I am a Tamilian. But as soon as I step out of the Chennai airport, I start speaking Tamil effortlessly and that can only be truly appreciated by someone who has studied in a Tamil medium school. Most of us have migrated somewhere in pursuit of education, career or our dreams. We speak more than one language and are emotionally connected to more than one place. Deep inside many of us, we have two favorite teams. If we apply the same logic to tonight’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, it becomes easy to understand that today millions of people around the world will be celebrating a great match regardless of whether any team wins or loses. However, an unusual sight will be seen inside the stadium – Spanish speakers will be seen cheering for or against Spanish speakers. This final is being played in America, the third most populous country in the world, where approximately 34.7 crore people live. In terms of population, Spain ranks 31st in the world with about 49 million people, while Argentina ranks 35th with about 47 million people. There are 25 to 30 million people of Spanish origin living in the United States, and the population of Argentine origin there far exceeds the number of people born in Argentina. What is even more important is that the language of both Spain and Argentina is Spanish. Interestingly, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the Americas after English, making it one of the largest Spanish-speaking countries in the world. This language is widely used in education, business, media, health and government services. The difference between Castilian Spanish of Spain and Rioplatense Spanish of Argentina is similar to that between British English and American English. There is another interesting connection related to this. Between 1870 and 1914, Argentina welcomed approximately six million immigrants from Europe, including a large number of Spaniards seeking better opportunities. This history tells us that the roots of many Argentines are linked to Spain. Football fans often joke that if you belong to two or more countries, your chances of winning the World Cup increase. Imagine what the atmosphere will be like in the stadium tonight. It will be full of thrill. You can support one team, but even if the other team wins, there will be no reason to be disappointed because ultimately football will win. Most of the Indian fans watching this match on TV also fall in this category. Today we will appreciate the quality of the competition more than the nationality of the winner. The bottom line is that football will win tonight, because no matter which team lifts the trophy, the lips kissing it will be Spanish speaking.
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N. Raghuraman’s Column: Why we’ll be cheering for both Argentina and Spain tonight
