Indian musician Bappi Lahiri has released a new song, Football Fever, in honour of Argentinian football player Diego Maradona.
The composer of hit songs for films such as Gunday, Disco Dancer, Namak Halal and Sharaabi says he shares a mutual admiration with the legendary footballer, who is now based in Dubai.
Maradona has played in four FIFA World Cups, including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico where he captained Argentina and led them to victory over West Germany in the final, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
Lahiri, from West Bengal, an Indian state famous for giving the country some of its best footballers, is a big fan of the sport.
“Maradona loves my song Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja from Disco Dancer,” he told Gulf News tabloid!, referring to the 1982 hit film starring Mithun Chakraborty. Lahiri famously wrote the song You Are My Chicken Fry for the 1995 film Rock Dancer, picturised on British pop star Samantha Fox. He is scheduled to record a song with Lebanese pop singer Diana Hadad, he said.
Lahiri presented Maradona a CD with the song at Dubai Sports Club during a practice session last week. Footage from the presentation will be used in the video of the song, which will release next week.