HYPE BUILDS AMONGST IMPERIAL AUDIENCES FOR THE "THIRD NORDIC-IMPERIAL WAR"
by Prakash Patel in Pataliputra
August 5, 2000
Patrons at Uchchatar Sports Bar and Grille in Pataliputra after the World Cup victory against Naizerre.
With the Empire now moving on to the semifinals in the 2019 CEFA World Cup, what started out as pure hype quickly turned into a tsunami of memes, with one in particular sweeping not only the Empire but the globe- the concept of the "Third Nordic-Imperial War". This appellation, given to the upcoming contest between the Lions and Andrenne's national team- the Vikings- comes straight from the history books.
In the early 1700s, the Empire fought the United Kingdoms of Andrenne and Goyanes- a personal union between the two Nordic states- in a bloody but consequential war. The Empire, through superior technology and leadership, won an unlikely victory against a numerically superior force, allowing it to establish itself as the foremost colonial power on the planet in a reign of nearly a century. This era- the apex of the Sarvasheta- would end, however, with more blood.
In 1820, adhering to its general 400-year cycle, Mt. Meru erupted. The 1820 eruption- the most recent to date- was one of the largest of the mountain's eruptions in its long history, and dealt a crippling blow to the Empire's stability, which Andrenne and Goyanes- no longer unified but certainly vengeful- exploited. By 1825, the Empire's gains during the First Nordic-Imperial War had been mostly reversed, and though it was still a world power, it was no longer a superpower.
Many Imperial historians credit the Second Nordic-Imperial War with establishing the international system of "Great Powers" that still exists today. But what does this have to do with soccer? That answer lies less in serious international rivalry and more in jest. In the modern day, the Empire and the two Nordic brothers are strong allies- with some calling their friendly relationship an unofficial tripartite pact- however, the old scores remain, in spirit, in the form of rivalries of sport.
In the history of the CEFA World Cup, the Empire has never played neither Goyanes nor Andrenne in a match ranked higher than the Round of 16. Seemingly, audiences across the globe are drawing comparisons between the historical wars and the upcoming matches as a way of adding the perfect flair to cap off what has already been a tournament of historical proportions for the World's Game; and if the Lions make it to the finals? The Third Nordic-Imperial War will continue on as the Empire fights the other half of the UKAG.
Either way, win or lose, it seems that the score will be settled one last time, and Lions fans are as excited as ever.
"I feel like, in a way, it's the perfect way to culminate the World Cup. Audiences love these kinds of things." says Deepak Ambasana, restaurant manager of the famous Uchchatar Sports Bar and Grille in Pataliputra- one of many sports bars with World Cup coverage across the Empire.
"It's all in good fun, of course, though I can say with confidence that we'll cream them on the field. It's going gold!"
Though it is indeed all in good fun, that hype-fuelled spirit of determination has without a doubt pervaded Imperial society from the lowest levels to the highest. Reportedly, printers have been hacked to print out "it's going gold" flyers, influencers have bought billboards and Vatsa Square jumbotron air time in order to air messages in support of the Lions, and posters telling when and on what television networks to watch the game have been put up en masse by fans.
Even celebrities from Jaywant Pandya to Abhishek Roshan have enthusiastically joined the fray, with Pandya releasing his own cover of
"Gold Lion", the song that has spread like wildfire as an unofficial-official anthem for the Lions. Roshan even went so far as to have his entire set painted gold and walk onto the stage in a lion costume- an action that in it of itself spawned even more Internet memes.
When asked for comment on all the hubbub, head coach Suresh Reddy responded with a chuckle,
"Both myself and the team are immensely grateful for the dedication of the fans. We couldn't have done this without them; and to them I say this: no volcanoes or viking hordes will stop us this time. The Lions will roar on to victory, first against Andrenne and then against Goyanes. The World Cup will be ours!"
The Empire's game against Andrenne will be played on Tuesday, August 6th, and will be available on IBC and GBK; as well as all associated networks, along with VidCast.
Translation by Vijay Dongre
August 5, 2000
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