Hardcore Lionel Messi fan dies in India impersonating his role model

What's the Story?

A young Indian footballer, Sagar Das, tragically passed away in Kolkata, India on Wednesday Morning, July 4, Times Of India reveals. The teenager was a college student and a junior footballer in Belgharia’s New Basudebpur in Kolkata.

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Das was emulating the moves and skills of his hero, Lionel Messi on the pitch during a local club game at the Belgharia’s Deshapriyanagar Byamagar ground. While re-creating the moves of his idol, the 19-year-old lost his balance and the ball ended up hitting his chest.

Following his fatal accident on the pitch, Sagar was immediately rushed to the hospital and was admitted in the Kamarhati Sagar Dutta Medical College Hospital on Tuesday Evening, July 3 as his teammates and the rest of the players were unsuccessful in their attempts to get him into a conscious state.

The Heart of the Matter

Das has been described as a football fanatic since childhood by his friends and family. His cousin, Samar Koyal stated, “He watched each and every match till late at night during this World Cup. He was a die-hard fan of Messi. He was so obsessed with the World Cup that he forgot studies. During Tuesday’s match between two local teams, he was trying to perform some moves and passes imitating Messi’s style."

Pranab Bhattacharya, the club member expressed, “He played as a striker. During the match, he was trying to imitate moves performed by Messi and other players at the ongoing World Cup. When he tried to imitate Messi’s style while trying to convert a pass from a team member into a goal, he lost balance and fell. The ball hit him hard on the chest. Under the impact of the hit, he lost consciousness."

The news of Sagar's death succeeds the loss of, Dinu Alex, an accountant from Kerala, who went missing after his beloved Argentina were crushed 3-0 by Croatia in their second group stage match in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and was found dead on the Morning of June 24 underneath a bridge.

Alex had disappeared from his home on Friday Morning, June 22, and left a note citing that Argentina's defeat was the reason for him committing suicide.

The 30-year old's parents disclosed that their son was a huge fan of the Argentinian national team and their shambolic loss against Croatia was the primary reason for him leaving home as it left them on the brink of elimination.