It would be nothing short of fascinating if the world’s most populous member of FIFA, India, were to take on the least populous, Montserrat, in a football match. That unlikely “David vs Goliath” scenario suddenly seemed a step closer to reality when Harriet Cross, the Governor of Montserrat, publicly challenged the Indian side on social media.

Her post quickly captured attention and sparked excitement online. While the Indian team has yet to issue an official response, fans wasted no time rallying behind the idea, flooding the thread with calls for what could be the most unusual and entertaining international friendly football has ever seen.

In a light-hearted exchange on social media, Harriet Cross, the Governor of Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, challenged the Indian football team to a friendly match.

Responding to a viral post on X which read, “There are 211 member countries in FIFA: Most populous member: India 1.4639 billion Least populous member: Montserrat 4,353. Petition to make the ultimate big vs. small international friendly happen!”

Harriet Cross jumped into the conversation with a spirited tweet: “Let’s do this! vs ⚽️ Are you brave enough India?! @narendramodi @Lindy_Cameron @UKinIndia @Discover_MNI.”

Her post quickly gained traction, with fans across both nations calling for the quirky international friendly to be organised. So far, there has been no official response from the Indian side.

Montserrat is currently ranked 180th in the FIFA standings, while India sits at 134th.

Montserrat: The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean

Montserrat, nicknamed “The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean” for its resemblance to Ireland and its strong Irish heritage, is one of FIFA’s smallest members, with a population of just over 4,000. The island measures just 16 km long and 11 km wide, with around 40 km of coastline.

Once home to the Georgian-era capital Plymouth, the island was devastated by the eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano in 1995, which forced two-thirds of its residents to relocate, many to the United Kingdom. Today, parts of Montserrat remain in an exclusion zone due to volcanic risks, though its population has since rebounded to nearly 5,000.

Plymouth, located on Montserrat’s southwestern coast, served as the island’s capital and sole port of entry until 1997, when volcanic eruptions devastated much of the town. Following the disaster, government offices and activities were moved to Brades Estate, commonly referred to as Brades, and the surrounding areas in the island’s northwest. As a result, Brades and its vicinity now function as the island’s de facto capital.