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Kolkata is preparing for a grand celebration as the city readies to welcome football superstar Lionel Messi on December 13.
The Argentina Football Fan Club Kolkata has created a striking tribute in Salt Lake, replicating Messi's Miami home with terrace statues, terracotta-tiled roofs, and life-sized cutouts of the footballer and his family. The event, titled Hola Messi, is being held at the Salt Lake Aikatan Club. The organisers have designed the exterior to resemble Messi's Miami mansion, while the interior has been transformed into a museum celebrating his illustrious career. Fans entering the space will see replicas of Messi's most iconic trophies, including La Liga titles, the Champions League trophy, the Copa America and World Cup trophies, the Ballon d'Or, and the Golden Boot. The ceiling is adorned with 896 footballs, representing each goal Messi has scored. A 200-metre LED wall will play highlights from Messi's greatest matches, narrating his two-decade-long journey. Organisers clarified that the Rs 10 entry is not a fee but a way to maintain order and keep track of visitors. Uttam Saha, Founder Secretary of the Argentina Football Fan Club Kolkata, said, "We did all these because Messi is coming in Calcutta." He added, "I don't like to watch Messi on a small TV at home... Public is also very happy... Messi please come and watch what his fans can do for him." The project was completed in just one week, he said. "We completed this project in seven days," Saha added. Pragnan Saha, Cultural Secretary of the club, explained the deep-rooted passion behind the initiative. "We are celebrating football from 2002, our idol, who is Lionel Messi. Before him was Maradona (Diego Maradona) ji... we love football very much. Now that Lionel Messi is arriving in India in 2025, we want to welcome him," he said. Speaking about the replica built for the occasion, he added, "We have made a replica of Messi's Miami house." He called Messi's upcoming visit a blessing. "God made this happen that he is coming to our city, our city of joy." Pointing towards the symbolic display above him, he noted, "There are 896 balls here over my head, those are the number of goals Messi has scored." He added, "I would love to have Messi here and celebrate at least for some time with us, but we do not know whether it's going to happen or not. But again, if that's not going to happen, we do not care, we still will love that man till the very end of time... we will continue to celebrate this man." (ANI)
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