Kolkata fans hit the streets to celebrate Argentina’s FIFA World Cup win. Watch – Hindustan Times

The streets of Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal were awash in blue and white as Argentina supporters burst into joy after the Lionel Messi-led South American country emerged as the FIFA World Cup champions in a sensational final on Sunday. Videos went viral on social media platforms as fans burst crackers and circled around their localities, dancing and cheering with Argentina’s national flag fluttering from their hands.

The FIFA World Cup grand finale was watched in community halls and clubs where large screens were put up. Die hard fans, nostalgic of a Maradona rerun, distributed sweets, shed tears and hugged each other after watching the historic match together. Some of the ecstatic supporters at local clubs and community halls in housing colonies said they would party the whole night to celebrate the victory of Argentina over the European country.

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“I don’t have any words to express my feelings right now. We all have been waiting to see this happen for a long time,” one of the numerous Argentina fans was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

“I only wish Maradona was alive to see this wonderful victory,” said Sujan Dutta, another fan, speaking to PTI.

Kolkata – with a fandom largely split between Brazil and Argentina – had in 2008 hosted football legend Diego Armando Maradona. The city also has a huge fan following of Argentina and its icon Lionel Messi.

In a historic end to the World Cup season, Messi scored two goals and then another in a shootout as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties to claim their third World Cup title. He achieved what Maradona did thirty-six years ago.

Diego Maradona, the late Argentina great with whom Messi was so often compared, helped the South American country become the world champions in 1986.