Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has expressed his excitement at getting a chance to square off to iconic cricketer Sourav Ganguly during his India visit later this year.
Maradona will come down to Kolkata to promote the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in India and add an Argentine flavour to Durga Puja celebrations in the “City of Joy”. He will arrive on 18th September and leave two days later. His visit will feature an exhibition match with icons and celebrities and Maradona didn’t hold back his excitement.
In a post on his Facebook page, Maradona wrote: ‘Just 100 days to go for my Kolkata visit and meet "Prince of Kolkata, Dada”’
According to close sources, the “Diego vs Dada” clash will last 60 minutes, with former Indian cricket captain Ganguly set to sport a customised autographed pair of boots for the game. The match is slated to be staged at the Aditya School of Sports in Barasat on the Mahalaya day of September 19.
Maradona will be joined by Colombian legend Carlos Valderrama in the exhibition match that will also feature former stars like IM Vijayan, Bhaichung Bhutia and Jo-Paul Ancheri. Cricket stars and Bollywood celebrities will also be gracing the event.
The 1986 World Cup winner will also inaugurate two puja pandals in north and south Kolkata before heading back. He is currently the manager of UAE club Al Fujairah.
Maradona’s India visit comes two weeks before the FIFA Under-17 World Cup that will be hosted by India. Having a celebrity footballer visiting the country that close to the main event will certainly help spread the word about the tournament. The Under-17 World Cup is the first time India will have hosted any FIFA tournament.
Although Maradona’s impending arrival is being greeted with excitement across India, not many fans would be able to see the exhibition match from close quarters as only 5,000 of the 20,000 available tickets will go up for sale owing to demands from sponsors.
With the likes of Manoj Tiwary, Deep Dasgupta and Ranveer Singh slated to play in the exhibition match, football fans will not be the only watchers.
Maradona will also unveil his statue at a pandal in Lake Town during his visit.
Also Read: Diego Maradona to visit Kolkata in September this year
