Lionel Messi's arrival in Kolkata for an Argentina friendly against Venezuela has led to a football frenzy in the cricket-mad country.

The FIFA friendly match between Argentina and Venezuela in Kolkata on September 2 is perhaps the most appropriate match as the world's best footballer plays in the world's most fanatic city for football. Lionel Messi and Kolkata, it seems at the moment, are made for each other.

From spaghetti to pasta, pork to beef - the Argentine soccer team led by football magician Lionel Messi will be spoilt for choice. The hotel where the team is staying in West Bengal, has laid out a varied spread appealing to the taste buds of the Latin American side, an official said on Thursday.

Skipper Lionel Messi will lead out Argentina against Venezuela in Kolkata's 120,000-seat Salt Lake stadium on Friday as top-class international football finally comes to cricket-crazy India.

Hours before superstar Lionel Messi is slated to set foot in this soccer-mad city, a little Argentina has sprung up in the southern outskirts of India's eastern metropolis.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is dreaming big on the Argentina-Venezuela match featuring superstars like Lionel Messi here September 2 hoping it would help raise the profile of the game.

Ranbir Kapoor may be a 'player' with the ladies, but there is another player who actually makes him go weak in the knees. The soccer-crazy star is a huge fan of footballer Lionel Messi.

Kolkata - the soccer mad hub of cricket crazy India - is gearing up to receive superstar footballer Lionel Messi for Argentina's FIFA official friendly against Venezuela on Sept 2. Ticket sales are picking up momentum, with soccer buffs from other parts of the country and even abroad lapping up most of them.