¡®Love for sport binds us all¡¯: Mamata Banerjee receives signed jersey from Lionel Messi; know about Bengal's football fascination

Football and Bengal have a special connection! Now the love has reached new heights as the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, received a jersey signed by the Argentina football legend Lionel Messi.

In the jersey signed by Messi, he described him as an 'artist with the ball.' According to Mamata Banerjee, the jersey symbolises the unbreakable connection between Bengal and the beautiful game.

On Wednesday night, the CM shared a post on X saying, Football is a passion that runs through her veins, which is much like every person in Bengal who has ever kicked a ball on the 'para fields.'" "Today, that passion found a special place as I received a jersey signed by none other than Lionel Messi," she wrote.

Credit: X

'Love for football binds us all'

Football as a sport holds a special place in Bengal's culture, with two vicious rivalries between clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan SC. Additionally, with time the love for the sport has been evident among the people as they have enthusiasm for both domestic and international football.

Football is a passion that runs through my veins, much like every person in Bengal who has ever kicked a ball on the 'para' fields. Today, that passion found a special place as I received a jersey signed by none other than Lionel Messi.

The love for football binds us all, and¡­ pic.twitter.com/ykWGarhAfG

¡ª Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 19, 2025

Mamata Banerjee in her X post also mentioned the same, that the love for football binds them all, and, "Messi, an artist with the ball, a maestro of our times, embodies the spirit of brilliance that Bengal admires. This jersey is a symbol of the unbreakable connection between Bengal and the beautiful game," she added.

Not the first time when Lionel Messi gifted his signed jersey

This is not the first time that the Argentine footballer has gifted someone his signed jersey in India. Before this, in 2022, after beating France in the FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar, Messi sent a signed Argentina jersey to former Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni's daughter, Ziva Singh Dhoni.

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In the same year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah received a signed jersey by Lionel Messi. Taking to Instagram, former India spinner Pragyan Ojha shared a photo of himself and Shah holding the jersey signed by Messi.

Argentina football legend Lionel Messi's visit to Kolkata

In 2011, the Argentina football icon Lionel Messi visited the 'City of Joy, Kolkata, and this remains an important day in the history of West Bengal.

The footballer flying down to the city has had an unusual romantic affair with the sport for over a century now. The visit saw a gathering of over 2,000 football lovers who waited for hours at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to greet Messi.

Credit: X

This has been a living example of the love and gratitude people have for the sport. But do you know the history of football and its connection with the state?

A brief history of Bengal and its love-embedded love for football

From colonial roots to cultural legacy, the Bengali love story with football is no rarity. The deep-rooted passion for the sport goes back to the late 19th century, and since then there has been no going back.

Credit: X

Well, football is not just a game; it is an emotion for people in Bengal. The origin of football in Bengal can be traced back to the British colonial era when the sport was just introduced to the region by the British soldiers and officers.

After this, the sport quickly gained popularity among the locals, which led to the formation of football clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.