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Bringing Messi to India Makes a Turning Point
By siliconindia
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Saturday, 03 September 2011, 00:41 IST
Bangalore: The FIFA friendly match between Argentina and Venezuela in Kolkata is perhaps the most appropriated match as the world's best footballer plays in one of the world's most fanatic city for football.
FIFA has always been the guardian and promoter of the world's game. It has a long term strategy to build up football participation in India. FIFA Chief Sepp Blatter called India a "real power" and a possible host for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bringing Messi to India is to push India into one of the world's soccer powers. Messi has been voted the "World Footballer of the Year" at least twice besides being European Footballer of the Year. He has also created a record by winning the Argentinean Footballer of the Year award in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The young charismatic footballer has won such a lot of awards so quickly in his short lifetime.
Two top FIFA officials will be among the spectators at the Salt Lake stadium, which will host the first FIFA friendly international match in India. FIFA Technical Director John Michell Benezet and Development Director Theory Regengase will arrive in the city and visit the site of the proposed National Football Academy in Pailan in the southern outskirts. During their stay, they will share their knowledge and expertise for development of Indian football.
