Kolkata: A hat-trick by Argentine legend Lionel Messi and a brace each by French star Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Erling Haaland sent soccer fans in Kolkata into a delirium on an electrifying Wednesday. Caught in the frenzied political developments unfolding at home over the past month-and-a-half, the FIFA World Cup came into its own on Wednesday with Messi, Mbappe, and Haaland setting the pitch on fire.
Even as Mbappe scored a beauty against Senegal, his second of the match, members of the Argentina Football Fan Club (AFFC) set out on a motorcycle rally from Arunachal Sangha in south Kolkata's Baghajatin to the Kalighat Temple ahead of Argentina's World Cup 2026 opener, offering prayers to Goddess Kali for the team's success. Chanting slogans in support of Messi and Argentina, supporters expressed confidence that the defending champions would begin their campaign on a winning note. Little did they know at the time that their wishes would come true in the manner they did as Messi delivered a stunning hat-trick to lead Argentina to a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria.
Hundreds watching the match on a giant screen went over the moon as the wizard turned back the clock and wove magic on the pitch in faraway Kansas City, Missouri, striking the net four times, including one that was ruled a no-goal as he had marginally strayed offside. "This is a dream come true. We had expected Messi to be present on the pitch for one half of the game during the playoffs, preserving his energy for the knockout matches thereafter. Instead, he went all out, right from the word go, and scored his first World Cup hat-trick with consummate ease," recounted AFFC founder secretary Uttam Saha.
As always, he has organized screening of all major World Cup matches, including those of the Argentine national team La Albiceleste. The club is also setting up a Messi museum at the screening venue where replicas of all trophies won by the magician, including the 2022 World Cup, one FIFA Under-20 World Cup, two Copa America, four UEFA Champions League, three UEFA Super Cup, three FIFA Club World Cup, 10 La Liga, seven Copa del Rey, eight Supercopa de Espana, and many more, including an Olympic medal, will be on display.
Equally excited was Sneha Dutta from Jadavpur, who had an adrenaline rush to step out in her No. 10 France jersey after the match between France and Senegal had ended in the early hours of Wednesday but controlled her emotions for a later stage of the tournament. "Kylian Mbappe was clinical, decisive, and unstoppable. What a goal to become the third highest goal scorer in the World Cups. The second one he scored was breathtaking," said Dutta, a PR professional.
At Fariapukur in north Kolkata, where an entire lane has been decked up in football colors and has rightly earned the name of FIFA Gali, where 10-odd houses have graffiti, artwork, and cutouts of footballing stars like Messi, Mbappe, Ronaldo, Neymar, and Erling Haaland (who too scored two goals against Iraq in his debut game), fans from all around Kolkata had gathered for impromptu friendly matches, selfie sessions, and daylong celebrations.
"It was a beautiful morning to wake up to as I watched the living legend Messi score a hat-trick at the World Cup. It is unbelievable how swiftly he can dodge and shoot even at this age," said Mohit Ramkahar, a young football fan. "Mbappe bagged a brace, Haaland announced himself on the World Cup stage, and Messi turned back the clock with a historic hat trick. It's a night and morning to remember at the FIFA World Cup," said Rohan Karmakar, another young fan in north Kolkata.
