India did not participate in the 1950 World Cup soccer, the only time it qualified for the tournament, because the players refused to play with spikes. Fifty-three years on, barefooted players still work the magic on the field. Lohardagga’s barefooted forward surges past Hulhundu’s well-heeled defender during the Jharkhand Women’s Football match held at the JAP-1 ground in Ranchi on Friday. Hulhundu won by 2-0. Picture by Prashant Mitra. nSee Page 18