5 moments in Indian football that you probably don't know of!

#5 Lionel Messi playing at the Salt Lake stadium, Kolkata

Argentina played Venezuela at the Salt Lake stadium

Kolkata has witnessed legends like Diego Maradona, Oliver Kahn, and Pele play in the city and in 2011 the football lovers in the city received the ultimate spectacle as Lionel Messi and Argentina travelled to India for an International friendly match against Venezuela.

The match was played as a dress rehearsal for both the teams before the 2014 world cup qualifiers when they would again face each other in October 2011. Apart from Messi stars like Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano, Nicolas Otamendi had also travelled with the team to play in the friendly.

As expected from Kolkata, Messi and the entire Argentine team received thunderous support in the city with thousands gathering at the airport and in the Salt Lake stadium. Several Bollywood celebrities, former player and politicians had also flown in to witness the legend play.

Messi was again at his brilliant best as he gave Kolkata a number of occasions to witness his moments of brilliance. Argentina won the game 1-0 credits to a goal from Nicolas Otamendi with Messi assisting him from the corner spot.

Even though the match was a spectacle on offer, the intense humid conditions of Kolkata made it very difficult for the players on the pitch and they had to take a drink’s break in between.

Even though the game was highly criticized for a number of goof-ups from the organisers, it surely marked as one of the historic moments in Indian football history.