Maradona to Messi: Why Bangladesh loves Argentina’s footballers
Key takeaways
- Diego Maradona turned a nation 17,000km from Argentina into die-hard fans.
- Moments earlier, Lionel Messi, Argentina’s talisman, had completed a hat-trick in his country’s opening World Cup match against Algeria.
- It was the reality in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, 17,000km from the Argentinian capital.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Diego Maradona turned a nation 17,000km from Argentina into die-hard fans. Lionel Messi has enthralled a new generation of Bangladeshis.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Bangladeshi supporters of Argentina's football team at a welcome rally for fans in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on June 17, 2026 [Masum Billah/Al Jazeera]By Masum Billah Published On 2 Jul 20262 Jul 2026Dhaka, Bangladesh — The giant screen had gone dark but thousands of supporters were still chanting, “Argentina! Argentina! Messi! Messi!” as vuvuzelas blared through the crowd. It was a sea of sky blue and white.
Moments earlier, Lionel Messi, Argentina’s talisman, had completed a hat-trick in his country’s opening World Cup match against Algeria. Young men who had watched the game on the screen were draped in Argentina’s flags, as they climbed onto each other’s shoulders, singing and celebrating long after the final whistle.