India waiting for Messi

Lionel Messi will tour four cities in India in December. Behind that historic trip is an unexpected connection from two teammates.

Perhaps Lionel Messi himself did not expect that his historic tour in India this December would originate from... two teammates - Emiliano Martinez and Ronaldinho.

Seven months after winning the 2022 World Cup, “Spider-Man” Martinez took Kolkata by storm. Three months later, Ronaldinho also took the city by storm. Both left, but with one important “homework” left: convincing Messi. And then, with just a few well-timed compliments, the torch was passed to Argentina’s number one football star.

This is the art of connection that Satadru Dutta, the “man behind the scenes”, has masterfully orchestrated. He has brought Pele and Maradona to Kolkata, and this time, by skillfully leveraging his connections in the football world, he personally opened up Messi’s four-city tour – from Kolkata, Ahmedabad to Mumbai and New Delhi.

Messi is no stranger to India. In 2011, he played at Salt Lake Stadium, which was also his first match as captain of Argentina. This time, in addition to the statue inauguration event, the “GOAT Concert” and “GOAT Cup” promise to create a football earthquake - where Messi will play alongside Ganguly, Leander Paes or Bhaichung Bhutia. The image of a world superstar playing football in the festive atmosphere of India will be an unforgettable moment for both players and spectators.

What is remarkable is that behind this iconic tour there is more than just commercialism or devotion. It shows how football, at a global level, is still driven by personal relationships, referrals and trust.

Messi agreed partly because of Martinez, partly because of Ronaldinho, but more importantly, because he felt welcomed and appreciated. That is the kind of "heat" that a star at the peak of his career is always looking for.

India is set to welcome Messi as a footballing god. But the story behind it – how Ronaldinho and Martinez opened the door, how Dutta connected the dots – is what really shows football is a circle, where friendship, trust and memories can make the seemingly impossible happen.

Source: https://znews.vn/an-do-cho-messi-post1577588.html