Maradona to Messi: Why Bangladesh loves Argentina’s footballers

Dhaka, Bangladesh — The giant screen had gone dark but thousands of supporters were still chanting, "Argentina! Argentina! Messi! Messi!" as vuvuzelas blared through the crowd. It was a sea of sky blue and white.

Moments earlier, Lionel Messi, Argentina's talisman, had completed a hat-trick in his country's opening World Cup match against Algeria. Young men who had watched the game on the screen were draped in Argentina's flags, as they climbed onto each other's shoulders, singing and celebrating long after the final whistle.