Ever heard of a ‘soccer bank’ that distributes football for free among the lovers of the sport? Yes, it actually exists and has been named after Lionel Messi.
Argentina’s early exit from the World Cup may have left football maestro Lionel Messi’s fans across the world totally shattered but could not daunt the spirit of his die-hard fans in Lucknow who have iconized their hero in their very own way.
Lucknow’s Super Sports Society recently launched a ‘soccer bank’, probably the first in India, and named it after the legendary Argentinian. Messi Soccer Bank unveiled on January 26 by chief minister Yogi Adityanath, gave away free footballs to all lovers of the ‘beautiful game’. So far, the bank has distributed over 20,000 footballs.
“Messi is like pure gold, one of the three all-time greats along with Pele and Maradona. He has been an inspiration for the present generation of footballers for over a decade. There is no one like him. That’s why we have named our football bank after him. A football being given in his name will keep inspiring the recipients” says Prabhjot Singh Nanda, president of Super Sports Society.
SSC stands out in the city more for its hockey culture. Apart from hosting the national tournament, SSC also organizes several state-and district-level tournaments to give opportunities to budding soccer players. SSC also conducts daily physical training and practice sessions for them.
“Our soccer bank was conceptualized a few months back for promoting the game beyond our trainees. Now, any individual or group with a list of 11 players (boys or girls) can approach us and we will provide them with a football and training at our ground,” says SSS chief executive Dhirendra Singh Chauhan.
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