Messi to spell his charm in Kolkata

[SpArK]

Messi to spell his charm in Kolkata​

In December 2008, legendary Diego Maradona had set foot in this football-crazy city. Come September 2, another Argentine stalwart Lionel Messi is set to arrive with his national team.

If everything goes as per the plan, it will be a double bonanza of sorts for football lovers here, as Argentina will play against either Spain or Portugal in the one-lakh capacity Yuba Bharati Krirangan.

The Barcelona star forward who won the Fifa Ballon d''Or award recently is likely to be part of the side that is scheduled to visit the city. "We have signed an agreement for bringing the star-studded Argentine team to Kolkata," an official of a sports management company told PTI.

Confirming this, IFA general secretary Utpal Ganguli said, "The Argentina team are scheduled to play an exhibition match either against Spain or Portugal on September 2 here. The IFA is organising the event, however another firm is bringing the Argentina national side".

In the recent past, a host of star footballers have come to Kolkata.
They include Diego Forlan, Romario, Branco, Lothar Matthaus, Karl Heinz Rumminege, Oliver Kahn, Gerd Mueller, Mark van Bommel and Ze Roberto.

Messi to spell his charm in Kolkata - PTI -

 

[SpArK]

Messi vs Ronaldo in Kolkata?​

After a procession of current and former international football stars, Kolkata is set to play host to perhaps the biggest of them all from the current generation.

According to an ambitious plan, the twice FIFA Player of the Year is likely to play an exhibition match in the city with the Argentine national team in September this year. And, if all goes according to the plan, it could be a double whammy for football fans, with a full-strength Argentina playing either Spain or Portugal in the match at the one-lakh capacity Yuba Bharati Krirangan. That would mean getting to see the likes of Messi and Carlos Tevez against Iniesta, Fernando Torres — Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Carvalho, if it happens to be Portugal.

“We have signed an agreement for bringing the star-studded Argentine team to Kolkata,” Bhaswar Goswami, executive director of Celebrity Management Group, a sports management company, said, confirming the development. IFA general secretary Utpal Ganguli also confirmed the news. “The Argentina team are scheduled to play an exhibition match either against Spain or Portugal on September 2 here. The IFA is organising the event, however another firm is bringing the Argentina national side,” he said.

This would, however, not be the first Argentine football star to visit Kolkata. In December 2008, legendary Diego Maradona had come as part of a promotion. In the recent past, a host of star footballers have come to Kolkata, including Romario, Branco, Lothar Matthaus, Karl Heinz Rumminege, Oliver Kahn, Gerd Mueller, Mark van Bommel and Ze Roberto. The 2010 World Cup’s highest scorer, Uruguay’s Diego Forlan, was the biggest player from the current generation to come visiting soon after the World Cup.

Messi vs Ronaldo in Kolkata?

 

[LaBong]

 

[SpArK]

I pray to god that that too get shifted to another venue...

 

[LaBong]

I pray to god that that too get shifted to another venue...

Yes from Yuvabharati to Eden!

 

[SpArK]

Yes from Yuvabharati to Eden!

Do they have eden in bangalore too.. amazing..

 

[LaBong]

Do they have eden in bangalore too.. amazing..

You can take the cricket away from us but you'll have to walk through our dead bodies to move the this match from kol!!

Well you still can watch it on TV!

 

[SpArK]

You can take the cricket way from us but you have to walk through our dead bodies to move the match from kol!!

Well you still can watch it on TV!

Guess what... this communist state of mine has as much of history in football as urs... we have had legends like IM Vijayan , anjeri and co who has served football ones and not to forget the successful conductings of many nehru cups here with teams like russia, hungary and many other european countries visiting regularly.. anyway comrade, alll is well in love and football..

 

[baker]

chalo chalo kolkata....

it is absolutely a life time opportunity for argentine football fans...

am gonna book the flight ticket.....

 

[baker]

Guess what... this communist state of mine has as much of history in football as urs... we have had legends like IM Vijayan , anjeri and co who has served football ones and not to forget the successful conductings of many nehru cups here with teams like russia, hungary and many other european countries visiting regularly.. anyway comrade, alll is well in love and football..

ya man.. am seriously wishing there should be one match in gods own country so that i dont want to travel to kolkata...

it is a long distance...

 

[LaBong]

Benny, I used to worship Vijayan when I was a kid, he was much more talented than Bhaichung, just didn't have the exposure. Sad he never played for East Bengal FC at his prime time.