Dubai: Lionel Messi’s jersey and a massive football sculpture adorning a football-themed house in Argentina’s colours. News about this “Argentina house” is doing the rounds afteran Indian businessman from the UAE gifted it to a “football commentator” whose unique commentaries had gone viral in the south Indian state of Kerala during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Afi Ahmed, managing director of UAE-based Smart Travels, built the house for Subair Vazhakkad, a farmer in Vazhakkad village in Kerala’s football-crazy Malappuram district.
It was a celebration of the entire locality when Afi joined Subair for the housewarming on Sunday evening.
“It is my dream home. I don’t have words to thank him,” Subair told Gulf News over the phone.
Afi said he felt immensely happy about presenting the “most apt gift to a hardcore Argentina fan”.
Subair’s commentaries in the local Malayalam dialect had gone viral on social media during the FIFA World Cup matches. Despite not having any professional qualification, the small-time farmer had a thorough knowledge about all the teams and players.
Afi had flown a young Messi fan from Kerala, Muhammad Nibras, whose crying video after Argentina’s historic defeat to Saudi Arabia had gone viral, to Qatar. After hearing about Subair’s love for football, the businessman had offered to fly him also to watch his favourite star in action in the World Cup.
However, Subair had to turn down the offer as he had to take care of his ailing family members. Following this, Afi offered to reconstruct Subair’s dilapidated house and gifted him with the Argentina-themed house.
