THE current frenzy surrounding the visit of soccer legend Diego Maradona in Indian city of Kolkata is not unprecedented.

The soccer-crazy capital of West Bengal state in eastern India had also gone ga-ga when ‘Black Pearl’ Pele had visited back in 1977 with his Cosmos Club team.

Maradona’s visit must be deja vu for older Bengalis while the younger lot may find it to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to catch a glimpse of the man himself and see his team in action.

But for football fans like me, the visit by the Argentine great generates hope that his charisma coupled with the curiosity surrounding his short visit will infuse some life into the dull football scene in the Indian landscape.

Soccer superstar Diego Maradona said he was greatly touched by the frenzy over his brief visit here and promised to come back to India again in future. Source: AFP

“I thought there were no more surprises left in life, but my visit to Kolkata has changed that,” Maradona said, after stepping in the city for the first time on Saturday, to inaugurate a private soccer academy and witness an exhibition game played in his honour.

His arrival got a rousing welcome by some 50,000 fans, who thronged the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to catch a glimpse of the 48-year-old legend. Nearly 5,000 security personnel were called in to contain the jostling crowd, who ran over the barricades while trying to capture a bit of Maradona in their personal cameras.

The scene was remniscent of a similar welcome awarded to Pele, when locals got their friends, family and pet dogs to the airport to welcome the Brazilian.

Maradona remained in news as he visited Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, met the state’s longest serving former chief minister Jyoti Basu and gave the paparazzi ample opportunities to click away at his various antics. He has declared that his two-day  India visit a success.

“I didn’t know people loved soccer so much in this part of the world,” he said.

Well that’s partly true. West Bengal is one of the few states in India which is passionate about a sport other than cricket – often refered to as the national religion of India. Over the years, football has continued to pose a strong challenge to cricket in this leftist-ruled state.

An average Bengali is either a supporter of Mohan Bagan or East Bengal, the state’s two rivals football clubs – also the most well-known in the country.

There are other clubs including Mahindra United from Maharashtra and FC Kochi from Kerala, but these two giants of Bengal soccer scenario rule the roost.

All these clubs play each other and have some international players in their midst. But, the matches generate less interest and even lesser crowds as compared to cricket.

Except for ardent soccer fans, events like English Premier League, Champions League and the ongoing AFF Suzuki Cup do not find a mention in the sporting lingo of India, where cricket dominates with absolute authority.

Fans like me satisfy themselves by exchanging excited SMSes when Liverpool plays Chelsea, or when Lionel Messi or Kaka kicks the ball into the rival goal.

Else, we have to give way to the cricket-loving majority enjoying the most footage on television, radio, newspapers, adverts,  campaigns, and what have you.

So when Maradona shouted to delirious fans that he wishes to see India play in the World Cup, and offered to be its Brand Ambassador, a glint of hope sparkled in me.

The world’s most popular sport still has a chance in India.

Maybe some day India will climb from its 144th ranking in world soccer teams list and make it to the top ten. Maybe some day another Indian footballer will score a hat trick at a soccer match in the Olympics, and break the record held by fellow countryman Neville D’souza in 1956 in Melbourne.

Maybe some day we will have more players besides Bhaichung Bhutia gain international recognition. Maybe someday...