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India is a nation where moderation is not easy to find, so when the people of the country fall in love with something, their expression of it is often grand and spectacular in nature. It’s something that everything that characterises India holds in common, from our celebration of festivals to adulation of our heroes, however shortlived that may be.
The country has had a number of heroes of its own but the people of this subcontinental nation have learned over the years to appreciate the best in the world, even if they’re not from India. We’ve seen it in the success of Hollywood films not only in theatres but also on television – even if they have to be dubbed into regional languages.
It wouldn’t be uncommon for you to walk into a barber shop in India to find a framed picture of Jonty Rhodes diving through the air to run out Inzamam-Ul-Haq or find Indian cricket fans chant AB De Villiers’ name when he walks on to the pitch.
Indians have collectively learned to love those who are not inherently from our country and this extends even to football. Granted that the popularity of the sport in the country isn’t skyrocketing, but those who do follow it – and that is a substantial number – are frequently fanatical in their display of love towards their heroes. No other modern day footballer epitomises this better than Lionel Messi.
The Argentine captain, hailing from the town of Rosario, is arguably the greatest footballer to have taken to the pitch. His fan following has reached astronomical figures, not just in Argentina or Spain where he plays his club football with Barcelona, but around the world and India is no exception.
And in typical fashion, the Asian country has shown their love for Messi on a number of occasions in different manner each time. From painted faces to waving Argentinian flags and building replicas we have done it all.
This is a collection of pictures from across the years that demonstrates India’s love for the young prodigy who’s come such a long way in footballing terms and still has so much more to go.
Celebrating Messi’s 19th birthday
On 24 June, 2006 when the Barcelona star turned 19, only a couple of years after he had made his club debut India was already hailing the future Argentine captain. On this occasion cutting and sharing a cake to commemorate the occasion.
Kites featuring football players
This one features other footballers too, including purportedly Messi’s arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo and his current team-mate Neymar. The three were among the many footballers featured on kites, by ingenious artists making them a part of one of India’s favourite pastimes.
Clay idols and cutouts
During the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, as is common during the FIFA World Cup every 4 years, the fever once again gripped India but this time it was focussed around one man - Lionel Messi. As large crowds in India gathered to support Argentina and especially their captain, others made clay idols of Messi or carried cutouts of their favourite player in the streets.
Indian fans were celebrating every touch Messi had on the ball in 2014. Here’s a fan's raucous celebration after Messi scored for his nation against Iran.
Here’s another fan donning the easily recognisable number 10 jersey, walking away after Argentina's victory against Iran in the same game.
Posters everywhere
If supporting the team wasn’t enough, many parts of India had massive political campaign sizes of posters of Messi plastered around cities or painted on the walls. Many of them often sights to behold because of their sheer size.
Not even the bonnets of cars were spared. Two of Argentina's heroes Diego Maradona and Messi both feturing in there artworks.
When Messi came to Kolkata in 2011
When the little magician himself came to India to play for his country against Venezuela in the first FIFA friendly ever to be played on Indian soil, fans thronged to practise venues to get a glimpse of the superstar in the flesh.
Fans even crowded the airport when the team arrived waiting with Argentina and India flags to welcome their hero.
Miscellaneous Messi Madness
Of the numerous things that many Indians have done, some of these really stand out. Like this massive cutout of the Argentine star towering over everyone, sure created at some personal cost.
Modes of transport were also not left out as a car donned Messi's name and number to show the owner’s love for the player.
That looks like a poster, but look carefully, it’s a bus.
Yet another birthday celebration
Look at the size of that cake! That's how much Indians love the maestro from Argentina, they brought a huge cake and decorated it to look like a pitch for his birthday in 2014.
We're not sure if any foreign player has received adoration like this in India, certainly not a footballer. This by must be something special.
