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Shib Shankar Patra (2R), football fan of Argentina team, serves tea to fans and customers in front of his apartment painted in blue-and-white, ahead of the upcoming 2018 World Cup, on June 11, 2018. A die-hard Argentina fan in India has painted his house in the team's blue and white colours ahead of the World Cup, saying his love for Lionel Messi's men knows no bounds. Kolkata resident Shib Shankar Patra's passion for Argentina began during the 1986 World Cup when Diego Maradona helped the team win the coveted trophy. / AFP / - Image Credit: AFP

Dubai: World Cup fever is manifesting! A Kolkata tea seller has painted his house in Argentina colours to show love for the team, just two days ahead of the Fifa World Cup.

On Twitter, people started sharing pictures of West Bengal resident, Shib Shankar’s house, after some Indian news outlets posted the story on social media.

News agency Asian News International, @ANI tweeted: “#WestBengal: A tea seller from North 24 Parganas has painted his house in the colour of Argentina’s flag and is supporting the Lionel Messi led-side in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia. He said, ‘My biggest wish is to see Messi play in real life’.”

Football is a popular sport in West Bengal, a state in eastern India.

According to a report by the news agency AFP (Agence France-Presse): “Shib Shankar Patra’s passion for Argentina began during the 1986 World Cup when Diego Maradona helped the team win the coveted trophy.”

Twitter user @juhi_tulip posted: “True madness! What are we all without it! #WorldCup”

However, what fascinated most tweeps was how big a tea-seller’s house was. Light-hearted comments followed.

Tweep @Vipra_s wrote: “This is a tea seller’s house? My whole professional life is/was a joke.”

Twitter user @ArainJutley added: “Great to know a tea seller has such a house in Kolkata. I am a post doc still live on rent.”

@vikram_dewan posted: “All the chai wallas(tea seller) seem to be doing very well for themselves.” @chekla added: “I’m shifting my career goals.”

Meanwhile, tweeps across the world, seem to be ready for the #FifaWorldCup fever.

Twitter user @Omerchoudhary2 posted the World Cup schedule and wrote: “I’m supporting Argentina. Which team are you supporting?”

And, @DavidL27 tweeted: “It’s a lovely day at the CSKA Stadium for the Confederations warm-up kick about. 2 days to go! #FifaWorldCup2018”

 

On Gulf News' Facebook page, reader Midhun S Menon shared these pictures from Kerala:

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An Indian football fan of Argentina team drinks tea in front of a three-storey apartment painted in blue-and-white, ahead of the upcoming 2018 World Cup, on June 11, 2018. A die-hard Argentina fan in India has painted his house in the team's blue and white colours ahead of the World Cup, saying his love for Lionel Messi's men knows no bounds. Kolkata resident Shib Shankar Patra's passion for Argentina began during the 1986 World Cup when Diego Maradona helped the team win the coveted trophy. / AFP / - Image Credit: AFP
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