True to its reputation of being the most soccer-crazy city of the country Kolkata on Thursday burst into raptures as the first whistle of the month-long extravaganza ~ the World Cup ~ was blown in Moscow on Thursday evening.

That the city will be in the grip of football mania starting from today till the grand finale on 15 July was clear with fans belonging to almost all age groups getting ready to cheer their favourites.

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As is the city’s tradition, different areas have turned into mini-Brazil and mini-Argentina as the fans almost worship the two varieties of the Latin American brand of football deifying Lionel Messi of Argentina and Neymar of Brazil.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Purtugal continues to be the heart-throb of many, while the well-oiled German machine has its supporters in many city areas.

The World Cup mania has reached such a feverish pitch that sweet shops and kiosks sported flags and festoons of favourite team colours, while even sweets have been turned into World Cup replicas.

From South to North, Ganguly Bagan, Kasba, and Shyambazar, Fariapukur, Paikpara in the North the fans are fighting a war to capture walls for painting the images of their idols.

They are so passionate that they have thrown logic to the winds and are hoping their favourite teams will win the cup without even trying to objectively assess the strength and weaknesses of individual teams. Supporters of Messi are chanting the slogan ~ “now or never”.

For they know in all likelihood this will be their idol’s last World Cup and he is yet to win the cup for his country. Hence, for his fans in the city the campaign this time will be a do or die affair.

But a Neymar fan poohpoohed them. “They will continue their day-dreaming, but the World Cup will be ours. Brazil will win the cup for the sixth time and Neymar will come out as the top scorer in the Cup. Messi will falter again because luck is not with them,” he said.

Throwing a direct challenge to Brazil and Argentina a Ronaldo fan countered: “Our biggest advantage is that our idol Cristiano Ronaldo is a player of a team that may emerge as the dark horse. Ronaldo has the power and ability to prove supporters of Brazil and Argentina wrong,” the Ronaldo fan said ecstatically.