Hyderabad: After Saturday morning’s chaos in Kolkata, Hyderabad braced itself for a football extravaganza with cautious anticipation. Fans, organizers, and stakeholders alike waited nervously at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here, uncertain whether the ripple effects of the City of Joy’s disruptions would follow them south.
But, as the evening unfolded, it became clear that lessons had been learnt: meticulous planning, swift execution, and a line-up of global stars — Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul — turned a chilly evening into an electrifying celebration of sport and spectacle.
Messi arrived in the city amidst fanfare and made his way to Falaknuma Palace. While he took part in a meet-and-greet at the once-princely abode of the Nizams, singers Rahul Sipligunj, famous for the Oscar-winning ‘naatu naatu’ song, and Satyavathi Rathod entertained the half-full stands in Uppal.
Cultural festivities soon made way for a 7v7 football match between Messi All Stars and Singareni RR9. Fans were up on their feet in the fourth minute after the latter took the lead, not in celebration of the breakthrough but in reaction to Messi’s arrival.
With Suarez and De Paul by his side, the magician, looking excited and curious in equal measure, took in the action from the sidelines, as Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also entered the fray, clad in the colours of his favourite club, Arsenal, even finding the back of the net once.
Messi, Suarez and De Paul then enthralled fans with a few quick dribbles and a handful of passes, giving the already star-struck faithful an adrenaline boost.
If deviating from well-laid plans caused pandemonium in the morning, the opposite was the case as the clock ticked past 9 p.m., with Messi gracefully deciding to say a few words.
“Thank you for the love and affection I have received today in this country, and for your participation tonight,” he said, as fans roared in delight. Agencies
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