Messi, Kolkata made for each other

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Bangalore, Sep 1: World’s best player in world’s
most football fanatic city. This is perhaps the most
appropriate match. Lionel Messi and Kolkata, it seems, are
made for each other.
Many may name Rio de Janerio, Amsterdam, Munich,
Glasgow, London and Buenos Aires as the 'world's most football
fanatic city'. But Kolkata stays different, and maybe, just
that shade ahead.
Not that the city hasn’t seen the best of the world at
the maidan. King Pele played an exhibition match in 1978 and
then Diego Maradona enthralled all off the field three years
back.
Lionel stays the cynosure of all eyes. And nobody as
yet spoke about the Venezuelan team. There’s Gonzalzo Higuain,
Sergei Aguero, Javier Mascherano amongst others – the galaxy
of stars which makes the Albicelestes the most marketable team
in the world.
But from Alejandro Sabella’s side, it’s Messi alone,
making the message loud and clear. If you have Lionel Messi in
your ranks, you don’t care.
Messi doesn’t love being surrounded by rivals on the
field. But his first few hours in the 'City of Joy' have been
different - securitymen have been shadowing him for obvious
reasons. Fans only hope, Saturday, will be different.
The demand for tickets has been crazy. For the last
fortnight, almost every wake-up call has been for a ticket for
the match.

The Salt Lake Stadium which was inaugurated by Bobby
Moore in 1984 and which has had the likes of Diego Forlan,
Roger Milla, Oliver Kahn, Eusebio, Gerd Muller amongst others
either play or grace the stands, sports a renovated look. The
dressing room looks snazzy and one of the best in Asia at the
moment.
The kick-off is slated for 7 pm. For the record,
Argentina have reigned supreme in all their last 17 meetings
against Venezuela.
Galaxy of stars who have visited Kolkata:
1) Pele and Carlos Alberto both Brazilian World
Cuppers came to Kolkata in September, 1977 for Cosmos and
played an exhibition match with Mohun Bagan.
2) Bobby Moore - England World Cup winning Captain was
the Chief Guest in the Nehru Cup Final - 1984
3) Gerd Muller (West Germany) - came as the Asst
Manager of Bayern Munich team in the I.F.A Shield - 2005 and
again in 2009.
4) Oliver Kahn (Germany) played his farewell game for
Bayern Munich in 2008.
5) Diego Maradona (Argentina) visited Kolkata in 2009.
6) Diego Forlan (Uruguay) visited Kolkata in 2010.
7) Karl Heinze Rumminiege (West Germany) visited
Kolkata in 2010.
8) Julian Caminho (Argentina) visted Kolkata twice --
first in 1988 to play for East Bengal and again in 2011.
9) Macdonald Mukansi (South Africa) played for East
Bengal in 2007.