Lionel Messi's fan, a tea-seller, paints his Kolkata house in Argentina colours

But then die-hard fans at times can be weird too and Patra has that weird streak in him

Shib Shankar Patra, 53, is one among thousands of die-hard Argentina fans in Kolkata and there's nothing unusual about it. But then die-hard fans at times can be weird too and Patra has that weird streak in him. Trying to garner enough savings from his modest earnings through a tea stall, Patra harboured a dream - to watch 'The Albiceleste' live from the stands in Russia.

Lionel Messi's fan, Patra's house in North 24 Parganas. Pics/PTI

But when a Kolkata-based travel agent informed him that his savings - a princely amount of Rs 60,000 (USD 900) is not enough to fund his World Cup trip (travel agent gave him a budget of Rs 1.5 lakh), he decided the next best thing - paint his entire three-storied building in Argentina colours.

"I don't smoke or drink. I have only one addiction and that is Lionel Messi and Argentina. I don't earn much but ensure that bulk of my earnings is kept aside for these indulgences when World Cup comes calling," said Patra, owner of a tea and snack stall in North 24 Parganas' Nawabganj township.

Also read: FIFA World Cup 2018: Sourav Ganguly looking forward to Messi magic

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!