In the world of football, there are two types of fans - Regular and Seasonal.
The classification 'Seasonal football fans' defines fans who only watch global tournaments occasionally. As simple as the definition may sound, this is anything but simple to Bangladeshi people.
This term is synonymous with 'insult,' 'mockery,' and 'belittling' in this country. When one is called a 'seasonal fan,' it's usually because their opinions are considered to carry less in-depth analyses of football and an overall lack of understanding (which may be untrue in some cases).
Suppose a (seasonal) fan makes an 'unreasonable' and 'insensible' claim. In that case, some regular football fans like to throw a common dialogue, "Tui ki bujhbi? Tui to seasonal fan!" (What will you understand? You are a seasonal fan)
Riyam Shahib Noor, a student at Dhaka Residential Model College, shared his experience as a seasonal fan with this writer.
"They (regular fans) mostly just laugh at whatever I say regarding anything related to football; whether it's the rules, the teams, or the players, they'll laugh anyways."
When he was asked if the mockery ever affected him, he simply said that football has zero impact on his life and he doesn't care about the mockery at all.
But are all the encounters of seasonal fans with regular fans harsh? A student of IBA, DU, Fabiha Maimuna, said something completely opposite to Riyam's statement.
"I have a lot of guy friends who watch football regularly and are big fans, but all of them accommodate the seasonal World Cup fans. Because let's be honest, this is what makes World Cup beautiful."
According to regular football fans, seasonal football fans are usually very emotional about the game. No matter the age (5 years or 75 years), the excitement radiates in peoples' eyes whenever they hear the names Argentina or Brazil. This leads to one question, do these make the seasonal fans too much to bear?
We have seen thousands of people gathering at the University of Dhaka to watch Argentina's match. We have seen Argentina supporters hoisting the 600 ft flag in Pabna.
Md. Golam Rabby, a student at Jahangirnagar University, talked about the unity football creates, "Millions of Bangladeshis watch Argentina's matches. Through this, brotherhood is also created between strangers. They share the same joy when Argentina win a match and the same sadness when Argentina lose. Thus love for Argentina unites Bangladeshis."
Apart from the union it creates, the fascination also led to a greater benefit. Football craze is now leading to the strengthening of a diplomatic relationship between the two countries which is unforeseen.
The Argentinian media covered all the news with utmost recognition and came forward to support the Bangladeshi Cricket team as well. The power of seasonal fans was reflected more acutely when Santiago Cafiero, the foreign minister of the Argentine Republic, revealed the plan to reopen the embassy in Bangladesh.
So maybe the 'excessive' emotions displayed by the seasonal fans had a greater impact after all.
Like many fans, when Md Nahiduzzaman Ratul, a student from Jahangirnagar University, was asked his reason for liking Argentina, he said, "I support Argentina, and the reason is Messi. I may be a seasonal fan, but I do often read football-related news and watch match highlights. So I know how much this man deserves a World Cup."
However, pathetic news about nasty fights between Argentina and Brazil supporters pulls the joyous moments away, leaving a distasteful experience behind.
Seasonal fans like Riyam or Ratul understand the game, but their opinions sometimes don't carry much value to regular fans.
Sami Ahsan, a middle-aged businessman from Karwan Bazar Dhaka, hoisted both Brazil and German flags as he loves both nations. He has no issues being a seasonal fan and brought up a very important perspective regarding this matter.
"Am I an expert, or do I claim to be so? I am neither a journalist who needs to write a match report nor a football pundit who discusses football in front of the camera."
"I am an audience, and enjoying my team scoring is enough for me. I don't think I need to know every delicate detail of the game to enjoy it. Basic knowledge is enough," argued Mr Ahsan.
Whatever the result of this unpredictable world cup may be, it's the excitement of seasonal fans that makes the football World Cup the greatest show on earth.
Because a World Cup without seasonal fans means a World Cup without fireworks, a World Cup without puerile arguments, and a World Cup without flags covering the sky.
