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.