French freestyle footballer of Indian origin, Logan Ragouramin, or simply Logan, indicated that he was on the top of his game, as he did a tango with the soccer ball to the fast tempo of a Tamil film number, at a show in the city recently.
The solo act showcased the athlete’s mastery with the ball as he moved with the music, juggling the ball from one foot to the other or flipping it over the head to trap it with the heel behind the body, or launching into spins and slides, almost never allowing the object to touch the floor.
While there was no contest to win, the freestyle football star conquered the hearts of youth during his show at the Alliance Française, and a post-show interaction, when he taught them a trick or two and posed for selfies.
During the tour, Logan also performed on a set of different surfaces at the French Consulate, The Spot, City5 and the French International School.
Though an offshoot of ‘the beautiful game’, freestyle football is a distinct sport, replete with tricks, acrobatics and dance.
Logan, who is ranked among the world’s top 8 “Red Bull Street Style World 2020” and is the reigning European champion, was on an Indian tour hosted by the French Consulate and Alliance Française.
The athlete’s level of mastery made it all look ridiculously easy as he manoeuvred a FIFA-standard football through a few moves with varying degrees of difficulty like “slap”, “crossover” and “around the world”. This veneer of ease was, as expected, deceptive, and a bunch of young footballers, invited to the stage to perform a few tricks, found themselves all over the place as they tried to emulate his feats.
This is Logan’s first visit to the city of his roots -- his grandparents belong here -- since he turned a pro in the sport.
Growing up in Bobigny on the outskirts of Paris, he was initiated into football as a 13-year-old. However, regular football would not be his cup of tea and he found himself down in the dumps whenever the coach screamed at his lapses.
“After a couple of years, a friend introduced me to the world of freestyle football”. He was instantly hooked. Soon, he was training in freestyle football for about ten hours a day.
“Mowgli”, as he is nicknamed in the freestyle realm, is not just an astounding talent but also a hot property for brands and companies.
“I am truly thankful to freestyle football... it has enriched my life experience, helped me explore new places and meet people,” says Logan, whose journey has helped him meet football idols, from Pele and Zidane to French star Kylian Mbappé.
His easy vibing with youth, after the show at the Alliance Française, is perhaps a pointer to why he is one of the choicest ambassadors of freestyle football to spread the sport among global youth.
Published - November 19, 2024 11:02 pm IST
