Football’s fascinating energy transcended international boundaries, as ectatic Bangladeshi followers displayed an exuberant present of unity and jubilation chanting the identify of “The G.O.A.T,” Lionel Messi, when Argentina triumphed over France within the World Cup last on Sunday.
According to police, a whole lot of hundreds of individuals defied chilly temperatures to look at the match on big screens arrange within the capital Dhaka’s key squares, roads and soccer grounds.
Many wore Argentina’s sky blue and white nationwide colours and sported Lionel Messi’s iconic quantity 10 jersey.
“I don’t know why I am crying, but I am crying for him,” Nafiun Rahman Zian, an 18-year-old Messi fan, stated.
“Years of wait (is over) to see the love of my life, the little magician, hold the most prestigious trophy which he desired so much,” he stated.
Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation of 170 million individuals, is cricket mad, with its nationwide crew among the finest on this planet.
It is, nevertheless, ranked among the many backside in international soccer.
But each 4 years through the World Cup, the nation renews its love affair with the game, as many younger individuals divide themselves largely into two rival teams – one supporting Argentina, the opposite Brazil.
Sunday’s largest crowd gathered on the Dhaka University campus on the coronary heart of the town, as many individuals painted the Argentinian flag on their cheeks to look at the proceedings from Qatar.
The crowd grew to become ecstatic when Messi scored the primary objective of the sport, with a penalty.
“I just can’t express how happy I am,” stated Imon Gazi, wiping his eyes after Argentina’s Angel Di Maria scored to make it 2-0.
Greatest participant on this planet
The throng fell into an eerie silence as a brace from France’s Kylian Mbappe took the match into further time at 2-2.
“I felt like I would suffer a heart attack,” stated Abdus Sabur, a 40-year-old bike driver, who says he’s a Brazil supporter however switched to Argentina within the last due to Messi.
“Mbappe is 23. He can play three more World Cups. This time the Cup should go to Messi,” he stated, as one other Mbappe penalty took the match right into a shootout, with the rating at 3-3.
But when Argentina’s Gonzalo Montiel slotted within the profitable penalty, the horde on the college burst into wild celebrations.
“Many of my friends, especially those who support Brazil, taunted me and fellow Argentina supporters that we did not win anything since the 1986 World Cup when I was not even born,” stated Mohammad Hasan, 19.
“Messi has proved he is the greatest player in the world. He is even greater than Diego Maradona or his rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The debate is over,” he stated.
Bangladesh’s Argentina-Brazil rivalry sees supporters in rural cities paint their homes within the nations’ respective colours, and no less than seven individuals have died making an attempt to show the nationwide flags over their properties, based on police – after being electrocuted and falling off rooftops.
At least three individuals have additionally died after rival soccer followers clashed in rural cities, police stated.
