Argentina’s early exit from the World Cup may have left football maestro Lionel Messi’s fans across the world totally shattered, but could not daunt the spirit of his die-hard fans in Lucknow who have iconised their hero in their very own way.
Lucknow’s Super Sports Society recently launched a ‘soccer bank’, probably the first in India, and named it after the legendary Argentinian. Messi Soccer Bank, unveiled on January 26 by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, gives free footballs to all lovers of the ‘beautiful game’. So far, the bank has distributed over 20,000 footballs.
“Messi is like pure gold, one of the three all-time greats along with Pele and Maradona. He has been an inspiration for the present generation of footballers for over a decade. There is no one like him. That’s why we have named our football bank after him. A football being given in his name will keep inspiring the recipient for the rest of his life,” says Prabhjot Singh Nanda, president of Super Sports Society (SSC).
SSC stands out in the city more for its hockey culture. Apart from hosting the national tourney, SSC also organises several state-and district-level tournaments to give opportunities to budding soccer players. SSC also conducts daily physical training and practice sessions for them.