As a kid, my first glimpse of the ‘Diego Almighty’ was not very catchy. Until a FIFA World Cup match, when I saw this short man running & falling, running & falling, running & falling.. finally managing to reach the opponent’s goal post BUT oh! missing the shot! Even then, he was stupendous. & that’s what makes Diego Armando Maradona a legend!
His recent 2 day visit to India with his girlfriend was just a gala experience that left City Kolkata mesmerized for times to come. Spending time at Mother Teresa House, laying foundation stone of Indian Football School & donating the proceeds of auctioned memorabilia for the School, giving interpreted tips & spending memorable moments with local footballers, doing all sorts of juggling with ball, displaying variations.. Paradoxically it is his indirect interaction with people that has made him remarkably popular among the masses. He can hardly speak or understand English. He has been an overweight, unfit junkie. & he has been highly opinionated. Yet his magical megawatt smile always shone through connecting him with his fans!
The man with 'Hand of God' is the newly appointed Argentina coach, and I feel the visits from such dexterous celebrities should be often in India. It is an imperative way to promote a sport like football that is definite to just a sphere of influence here in the subcontinent. It will not only help the sport & the sportsmen to get the due recognition, and also help youngsters to receive quite critical guidelines from the far better professionals of the world.
No wonder.. that’s what Maradona did. And not only that he created quite a buzz in India, but the soccer maestro even self-proclaimed to be the "greatest footballer" ever in the world!
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