The 1986 Fifa World Cup in Mexico, which Maradona helped the Argentine team lift, was the first World Cup to be live telecast in India. His dribbling skills and legendary performances as he slalomed a path through defences during the tournament earned him and the Argentine team legions of fans in the country. “Before Maradona and the 1986 World Cup people were mostly fans of Brazil, but Maradona after the 1986 World Cup divided Kolkata in two halves.”Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, and the states of Kerala and Goa have long had large football followings in an otherwise cricket-crazed country. Maradona visited Kolkata twice and his connection with the city was cemented in 2017 when he personally unveiled a statue of himself holding the World Cup, in the presence of thousands of fans. “Maradona lived in Argentina, but resided in the hearts of his fans,” said Dutta, who met Maradona in 2008.

Source: Dhaka Tribune November 26, 2020 12:45 UTC