The 43-year-old Brazilian footballer inaugurated his academy “R10” and Durga Puja pandal
Our Bureau
Kolkata, India
‘Samba Magician’ Ronaldinho, currently on a visit to India, cast a spell on the football-loving city of Kolkata, as he arrived here for a 2-day visit, ushering in a football-centric fervor to the Durga Puja festival.
The Durga Puja, being the grandest festival in this part of India, is the perfect time for the football legend, famously known as Gaucho to arrive and inaugurate puja pandals.
He is loved and rejoiced by many and was greeted with chants of ‘Ronaldinho, Ronaldinho’ and ‘Brazil, Brazil’ echoing through the jam-packed crowd of fans wanting to get a glimpse of their favorite star, the former Barcelona and AC Milan star.
Ronaldinho, the ‘King of Jogo Bonito’ gestured and conveyed “Muchas gracias. Mucho carino (many thanks, much affection),” with his typical smile and ‘I Love You’ gesture, almost casting a spell on his ardent lovers and fans.
At the start of his visit, the 43-year-old Brazilian footballer inaugurated his academy — “R10” — at Merlin Rise residential complex in the eastern suburbs. He, then, went on to call and meet Mamata Banerjee at the West Bengal chief minister’s residence in Kalighat. There, he was welcomed by the officials of the ‘Big Three’ clubs — Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting.
Ronaldinho is likely to play and create his ‘Samba Magic’ during an exhibition match on this visit.
