Messi fans fail to get a glimpse of superstar on arrival

Kolkata, August 31 (PTI) Argentine superstar Lionel Messi
arrived in the wee hours on Wednesday but more than 1500
frenzied die-hard supporters and hordes of media persons who
stayed awake throughout the night were left heartbroken
without getting a glimpse of the Argentine superstar who made
a hush-hush exit from the VIP gate amid high security without
anybody noticing.
The football-mad city however did not witness the same
turn-out when Diego Maradona visited about three years back as
the Kolkatans then had lined up on the streets while state
government officials had come to welcome him at the airport.
But the euphoria was exactly the same as many fans
wearing the Albiceleste colours painted the Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Dum Dum in white
and sky blue.
Holding Argentina flags and life-size Messi cutouts, the
fans poured in since 2 AM (IST), more than one hour in advance
of the Argentine star's arrival. There were also few
Tricolours seen flying high among the white and sky blue
colours.
The football-crazy fans danced and cried deliriously,
shouting "three cheers for Messi, three cheers for Argentina,"
as near stampede like scenes were witnessed outside the
airport.
"It's an achievement for Kolkata. I don't know what will
happen to me when I see the God of football. Perhaps, I will
faint," ardent Messi fans Arindam Ghosh and Uttam Saha who
were part of a 50-member team of Bidrohi Club in Baghajatin
stated.