Meet Messi's Ultimate Superfans In India!

For Ichhapur tea-seller Shib Shankar Patra, Argentine superstar Lionel Messi's arrival in Kolkata on Saturday will be more than a dream fulfilled. It will be a moment he believes he "survived to see".

Patra, 56, is one of two diehard fans handpicked for a special meet-and-greet with the Argentine superstar, a gesture the organisers planned after his story drew widespread media attention.

Once a club-level footballer, Patra built an entire life around his devotion to Argentina and Messi. Ahead of his visit to Kolkata with the national side to play a FIFA friendly against Venezuela in 2011, Patra painted his three-storied house in Nawabganj blue-and-white, turned his decades-old tea stall into an "Argentina fan club", and installed a life-size statue of Messi at the entrance.

Inside, walls, doors, even wardrobes are covered in Argentina colours.

Locals drop in for tea and football 'adda', while visiting supporters pose with the giant 120x20 ft flag and posters lining the street.

The fandom runs in the family.

His daughter Neha themed her wedding in 2022 around Argentina colours, and the father-daughter duo also organise blood donation camps and distribute blankets to the needy.

But behind the celebrations is a difficult year for the Patras.

Patra recently underwent heart surgery, had a pacemaker implanted and suffered multiple falls that badly affected his small business.

Even then, he refused to give up hope of seeing Messi again after first watching him live in 2011 at the Salt Lake Stadium, an experience he says kept him awake "for many days”.

The family had initially bought two tickets worth Rs 7,000 each for Saturday's event -- a steep price for them -- before organiser Satadru Dutta personally called to invite them to the exclusive meet-and-greet at Messi's hotel.

"We are all ready to go and meet him. We dreamt of seeing him and finally the dream will come true for him. He's alive today to see him I will say,” Patra's wife Sapna told PTI.

"He had heart surgery and was very ill. While making tea he had two-three falls and hit his head but managed to survive and then pacemaker was implanted last month.

"Guess he's survived to see Messi now, we are so excited. He's having sleepless nights to see his idol... We have been called for a meeting this afternoon perhaps to discuss how to go about it and all details. Then we will go to his hotel at 7am tomorrow,”

she said.

Ichhapur won't be the only fan landmark represented.

The owner of the Messi-themed Dum Dum Leo Cafe, Soumindra Ghosh -- a popular stop for supporters near Dum Dum Metro station -- has also been invited, completing what promises to be an emotional morning for Kolkata's most devoted Messi faithful.

Ghosh, a civil engineer and a diehard admirer of Lionel Messi, has turned his café into what he proudly calls a "temple" dedicated to the Argentine icon.

The walls portray Messi's career, and Ghosh recalls how the football icon inspired him during one of the lowest phases of his life.

After a poor Class 12 result in 2014, he completed his engineering degree but struggled to find a job, slipping into depression.

It was one Messi quote that lifted him: "I've not become successful overnight; it is the result of hard work and passion.”

"I was very depressed. Whenever I was sad, I watched Messi videos. On YouTube, I saw that quote --  success hasn't come overnight, practice has made him. I told myself, how can I give up when my idol 'haar mareni'?

"I was sitting in my friend's cafe and the idea came to mind. Then I decided nijer theke (from myself) I will start something on my own and dedicate it to Messi,” he said.

"For me, it's a temple, and I feel even after my death, the next generations will remember this as Messi's temple,” the 30-year-old added.

The cafe is entirely themed around Messi with moments from his career engraved on the walls. Live Messi matches are screened, and commentary clips featuring him play constantly in the background.

Incidentally, as Messi's career turned around with the Copa America triumph, Ghosh's fortunes also improved.

"The same year as the Copa win, this cafe came into existence. And in 2022, when Messi won the World Cup, my cafe -- now a big hit -- got extended. I don't want to boast, but my journey with this cafe has shades of parallel with Messi's career,” he added.

Fans from across India and abroad visit the cafe to soak in the football atmosphere.

"Fans from Argentina, Brazil have come, and also fans from Kerala, Mumbai, Gujarat. Being close to the airport makes it easier for them,” he said.

Even the cafe's menu pays tribute to Messi, with carefully curated items such as: La Pulga (Spanish for "The Flea") primarily refers to the football superstar, Milanesa Napolitana (Messi's favourite dish), Chicken 672 (his total Barcelona goal tally), Pink in Paris (celebrating his time with PSG), Sunset Miami (Messi's final chapter with Inter Miami), and Blaugrana Blue (referring to the iconic colours of FC Barcelona).