For diehard Indian football fans, there is little doubt which star forward will lift the World Cup at the end of Sunday's final between France and Argentina.
Supporters across the South Asian country were jubilant when Lionel Messi inspired his side to a win over Croatia in the first semi-final.
And with Kylian Mbappe's France joining Argentina in Sunday's decider, devotees of the little Argentine are upbeat about the prospects of their favourite star lifting the title.
The Latin American nation’s win was celebrated with midnight street celebrations in southern Kerala state where huge cut-outs of the football stars have cropped up since the beginning of the global tournament in Qatar.
Anand Mahindra, an Indian businessman, shared a video of a huge gathering of fans celebrating the win over Croatia as fans waved Argentine flags.
“We may not have shown our merit in football yet, but if there was a World Cup for ‘fanball’ we would be in the running,” Mr Mahindra tweeted.
India, ranked106 by Fifa, did not qualify for the tournament, but that has not dampened the mood of millions of football fans in the cricket-crazy nation.
Scores of football fans have been making headlines in West Bengal and Kerala state for rallying on streets and making life-size cut-outs of the football stars, with the Argentine team enjoying a huge following.
Fans in Kolkata — a city twice visited by Diego Maradona — in West Bengal poured on to the streets and chanted songs for Messi’s team as soon the game against Croatia had ended.
In Kerala, fans broke into impromptu street celebrations after Messi’s team defeated the Croatians, with fans hailing the footballer for his stellar performance during the match.
Ajay V John, 20, an artist from the state, said he had goosebumps while watching Messi play in the game.
John has drawn a 10.8m by 9m mosaic of Messi’s face on a basketball court at a college campus.
He spent an entire year drawing the chart papers to create his masterpiece using about 1,18,800 squares in red, orange, yellow, black, and blue.
“I got goosebumps watching Messi being at the peak of his powers. That assist was purely out of this world,” John told The National.
Messi’s performance at the semi-finals once again triggered a comparison with his rival Cristiano Ronaldo and the debate on who is the GOAT — the Greatest of All Time.
But die-hard Messi fans like John say the Argentine star has always been the best.
“Regardless of these World Cup results, I've always believed that Messi is clear of Ronaldo — no offence for his legacy though — and this tournament is just a reaffirmation,” John said.
Rizwan MM, 28, also from the state, called him the “greatest of all time” and reiterated John’s views.
“It is clear now Messi is miles ahead of Cristiano,” Mr Rizwan told The National.
“Lionel Messi has always been the greatest. He's got nothing to prove but this tournament will prove it to the many people who ever doubted him,” Mr Rizwan said.
Anirban Deb, 34, a communications manager in Delhi, said the historic win also proved Messi’s teamwork.
“I think Messi played an important role in holding his side till the last minute of his last World Cup semi-final. His composure, passion, and control over the ball are just phenomenal. Football is a team game, and Messi always supports his team, be it a club or national football team,” Mr Deb said.
Prateek Rathi said that Indians' support for Messi is huge, despite the fact half of them may not know where Argentina is, but know Messi and his legacy.
“Because of his popularity, half of the people know Messi’s name, not Argentina. His performance was up to the mark of a great player … 90 minutes just flew away,” Mr Rathi said.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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