Ronaldinho’s two fun-filled days in Kolkata
Ronaldinho had two great days yesterday and today in Kolkata—from inaugurating Durga Puja pandals to trying his hand at cooking to beating a lawmaker at goal.
The football sensation is on his first-ever visit to the football-crazy City of Joy, which has hosted the legends Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
The 2002 World Cup and Barcelona star landed in Kolkata the day before yesterday, welcomed by a huge crowd at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. Bengal minister Sujit Bose was the government representative in charge of welcoming the icon.
The 43-year-old, dressed in shorts, a loose t-shirt and his signature cap, was greeted with cheers everywhere he went.
He started the day by inaugurating the R10 football academy at the Merlin Rise condominium in Rajarhat, which will train young footballers in a course designed by the football star. There, he displayed his magical dribbling skills to hundreds of awed kids and their parents. Many of the latter had seen these only on television.
Next, he inaugurated the Sreebhumi Sporting Club puja pandal in Kolkata’s Lake Town, whose patron is Sujit Bose. He joined in a dance with his fans who were waving Brazil flags. He also took a shot at a football net guarded by Bose, and scored, of course.
He then paid tribute at a statue of fellow South American legend Maradona. The next destination was the home of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kalighat. She welcomed him in the traditional style with a ‘uttoriyo’, which is a shawl and presented him with a football. Also present were representatives from the renowned trio of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting, who gifted him their jerseys. He also attended a trophy unveiling ceremony of the Indian Football Association.
Ronaldinho then inaugurated two more Durga Puja pandals in Narendrapur and Baruipur, on the outskirts of the city. At the Baruipur pandal, he was handed footballs that he kicked into the crowd to loud cheers.
He then attended an Emami event, where he had a short tryst with cooking, then posing with a bottle of Healthy & Tasty Mustard Oil (an Emami brand) in one hand and a hilsa (ilish) in the other.
On the second day of his two-day trip today, in the morning, Ronaldinho displayed his wizardry to an ecstatic crowd of Xaverians (both from the school and college) at S Xavier’s College. A riot of colour took over the campus, with the students donning their Brazil, Barcelona and AC Milan (clubs where Ronaldinho played) jerseys. He was welcomed by Reverend Dr Dominic Savio, SJ, Principal, St Xavier’s College, after which he was presented with a special football boot-shaped chain in silver made by Senco Gold, as the noise reached deafening levels. In front of goal, he did what he does like no other, toying with the ball as if it were an extension of his body.
After that, he went to an exhibition match at Batanagar (in Maheshtala) between the Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee-owned Diamond Football Club and a team from the Sreebhumi Sporting Club, patronised by Sujit Bose.
On the second day of his two-day trip today, Ronaldinho was present at an exhibition match at Batanagar (in Maheshtala) near Kolkata between the Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee-owned Diamond Football Club and a team from the Sreebhumi Sporting Club, patronised by Sujit Bose.
The stadium was jam-packed with fans wanting a rare real-life glimpse of the star. Abhishek spoke with Ronaldinho, which was followed by bands playing the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’, followed by Brazil’s national anthem. He then shook hands with the players on the field.
All in all, for the city’s football fans, it seems Durga Puja has arrived early. From here, Ronaldinho left for Dhaka, another football-mad city.
