Photos that prove India loves Lionel Messi
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.
