How Lionel Messi helped a die-hard Kolkata fan dribble past darkness
Shamindra Ghosh, a die-hard fan of Lionel Messi, has dedicated his café in Kolkata to the Argentine football superstar. Messi will be in India on a three-day tour, covering four cities: Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
Shamindra Ghosh, a die-hard Lionel Messi fan from Kolkata, dedicates his cafe, Cafe Leo, to the Argentinian football superstar.
It was between 2019 and 2021, when Shamindra Ghosh, who had just graduated in Civil Engineering from Ideal Institute of Engineering in Kalyani, West Bengal, was sitting in one of his friend's cafes in Kolkata, wondering where his life would take him. He was desperately looking for a job while also grieving the loss of his mother. Depression engulfed him.
A die-hard fan of Lionel Messi, Shamindra would often play videos of his favourite footballer on YouTube and other social media platforms. Watching Messi dribble past his opponents and reach great heights had a telling impact on the young man from Dumdum.
It lifted his spirits and inspired him to use a small vacant space in his building to honour the person who helped him overcome depression. Cafe Leo was born.
“I noticed that whenever I felt depressed, I used to watch videos of Lionel Messi. It would cheer me up,” Shamindra told Livemint. "The idea of setting up a café came up during that time, and I decided to dedicate it to the person who helped me come out of depression.
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Portraits of Lionel Messi adorn the walls of Cafe Leo.
"Messi to me is a God, and I call this café my temple. I want to leave a legacy for the next generation. People should know me as a die-hard Messi fan who built a temple for the Argentine through my café,” he added.
‘I want to feel Lionel Messi for once’
Located a stone's throw from the Dumdum station, it isn't just a cafe for Shamindra, but a temple, the walls of which are adorned with moments from Messi's illustrious professional career, which started in 2004 at Barcelona.
Initially a six-seater café, Shamindra's temple has grown over the years. It's a go-to place for all Messi lovers in the area, especially on days when Messi takes the field, thus creating a match-day atmosphere.
The news of Cafe Leo has already reached Satadru Dutta, the man behind bringing Messi to India. A meeting with his God would be a dream come true for Shamindra. However, things haven't gone as he would have wanted, as Shamindra is yet to hear back from Satadru.
“When I heard that he is coming to Kolkata (on 13 December), I went mad and, my first reaction was if I can meet my God. I want my story to reach Messi. Satadru Dutta had asked for my contact through Facebook and assured that he is trying to arrange a meet,” informed Shamindra.
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An inside view of Cafe Leo.
“But I have heard nothing from him lately. I tried to reach out to him, but that couldn't happen. I want to feel my God (Messi) for once. I am still hopeful about meeting with Messi, and if that happens, I would like to tell my story to him. I want to tell him that ‘I have dedicated some part of my life to you,” he added, his eyes glimmering with hope.
What if the Messi-meet doesn't happen?
Reaching Messi is tough, knows Shamindra. But that doesn't stop him from being among the first to book a ticket for the event. He might even end up at the Kolkata airport on 12 December when Messi sets foot in Kolkata at around 11:55 pm IST.
Four years down the line since he opened the cafe, life has been better for Shamindra. He has a job at a private company in parallel and is getting married on 15 December. “I am still saving to watch one of Messi's matches live from the stadium before he retires,” he concluded.
