Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS) How many Lionel Messis were present at the Salt Lake Stadium here Friday when Argentina took on Venezuela? Hundreds.

Both young and old sported the number 10 jersey of Messi in the sky blue and white colours of Argentina in large numbers.

From the moment one came to the vicinity of the stadium, it was clear who was the city?s man of the moment.

Animated discussions on the Argentine striker?s past heroics, frequent chants of ?Messi, Messi?, and placards of ?Messi fever in Kolkata? were testimony to the player’s popularity in India’s soccer capital.