NorthEast United FC leaves one seat empty in Singapore to honour Zubeen Garg
A No. 10 jersey featuring a picture of Garg playing football and the words “Football is life” — a quote attributed to him — was placed on the chair.
A seat left empty in honour of the late singer Zubeen Grag. (Photo: @HighlanderB8)
Guwahati, Oct 11: NorthEast United FC honoured late singer-composer Zubeen Garg during the India-Singapore Asia Cup football qualifier in Singapore by keeping one seat empty in the stands — a symbolic tribute to the music icon and passionate football lover who passed away in the same city last month.
The club members, present at Thursday’s match, dedicated the gesture to Garg, as the game concluded in a 1-1 draw.
“FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS. A seat left empty. A thousand hearts full! In the stands of Singapore, one chair stood still — for Zubeen Da!” the football club wrote on social media.
A No. 10 jersey featuring a picture of Garg playing football and the words “Football is life” — a quote attributed to him — was placed on the chair.
“For the man who sang our dreams, lived our passion, and loved football like life itself — the Brigade paid tribute to the legend in the place where he took his last breath,” the club added.
The Highlander Brigade, representing the states of Northeast India, remembered how the 52-year-old singer once said that football was his first love. Garg tragically died on September 19, while swimming in the sea in Singapore.
"And even now, his spirit plays on — in every chant, every beat of our drums, every cheer that rises for us!" it added.
The post further said that from Assam's muddy fields to Moscow's grand arenas, "he carried our soul wherever he went for the beautiful game".
An avid football fan, Garg had travelled to Russia to watch the FIFA World Cup and posted on social media, exhorting the youth to take up the sport more back home.
"Football is the game he loved the most. Zubeen Da, you're not gone. You're just playing from the skies now. Forever our music. Forever our roar. Forever our Zubeen Da!" the post added.
PTI