Looking back at when Diego Maradona visited India for the first time

Diego Maradona had made two visits to India.

It has been just over two-and-a-half years since Diego Maradona’s sudden demise. On 25 November 2020 – the Argentinian football icon passed away to send the world of football into mourning.

Maradona might not have any direct links to football in India, but was a revered figure in parts of the country. That involves being worshipped by a majority of football fans in Kolkata, something which he got a first-hand encounter of on multiple occasions.

He visited the City of Joy twice in his life, with the first occasion being back in 2008 for a two-day trip. Maradona arrived in Kolkata for the first time in December 2008 – being given top-level security and having two helicopters arranged for himself to travel around the city.

Thousands of football fans flocked to the Netaji Subhash International Airport to get a glimpse of the icon and he greeted them with the utmost energy. Maradona was brought to the city to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for the Indian Football School (IFS).

He even left an imprint of his left foot on a plaster block during the event, with one part of his body being immortalized forever in the city. After that, Maradona visited the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata and even got to see his own wax statue.

The Argentine got to interact with the wax statue and watched a friendly match between the Chief Minister’s XI and Foreign Minister’s XI – which featured some of the best Indian footballers at the time.

On the second day of his visit, Maradona visited Mohun Bagan’s tent in Maidan – Kolkata. He held a little session for the club’s U-12 footballers and even showcased his amazing skills with the ball during the same.

The Napoli legend also took some time to visit Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, where he took some time to interact with the nuns. He even lit a candle inside the missionary during the visit and paid respect to Mother Teresa.

Diego Maradona left the City of Joy having created a lot of memories for his fans, with his appearance attracting thousands of supporters flocking to get a glimpse of him. He would return to the city later in 2017 for the inauguration of another school, which would also mark his final visit to India.