Kolkata greets football icon Maradona

The atmosphere was full of jubilation when the football legend, the Argentinian soccer star Diego Armando Maradona arrived in Kolkata early Saturday. The ‘God of football’ is on a two-day promotional tour to this soccer crazy city, where he received a rousing reception.

The 48-year-old soccer genius, after spending the night in a hotel, reached at Maheshtala- 13 kms south of the city to lay the foundation stone of the Indian Football School.

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He will also visit the global headquarters of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity on Sunday.

Thousands of football-mad fans thronged to take a glimpse of the world sports icon. Hundreds of children displayed ball-juggling skills and sung songs praising Maradona, who passionately reached out to his fans by coming down the dais and shaking hands with some of them.

The football great also gave an imprint of his famous left foot, which will be preserved, before leaving for hotel. He will also inaugurate a match between Foreign Minister's XI and Chief Minister's XI, where players from various teams would take part including Bhaichung Bhutia and Jose Barreto.

During his hectic two-day trip to the city, Maradona will also meet former state chief minister and communist patriarch Jyoti Basu at his Salt Lake residence. This apart, he will also conduct a football clinic at the Mohun Bagan ground for under-12 boys later on Sunday.

Kolkata, also deemed as India’s football capital, has already played host to Russian Lev Ivanovich Yashin, all time football great Pele in 1977, and the former German football goalkeeper Oliver Rolf Kahn. The football ambiance and humility the people of this City of Joy show to their admired players talk loud about the significance of football in Kolkata’s way of life.