World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez to visit Bangladesh in July?
Originally scheduled to visit Kolkata, Martinez himself told Dutta about his interest to come to Bangladesh. Based on the footballers interest, Dutta is already in talks with sponsors in Bangladesh. While speaking to The Business Standard (TBS), he said everything would be finalised within five-six days.
FIFA World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could visit Dhaka before his scheduled Kolkata tour, confirmed Kolkata-based sports promoter Satadru Dutta on Sunday.
Dutta, a business consultant and former investment banker, through his organisation "Satadru Dutta initiative" has brought many football legends like Diego Maradona, Pele and Cafu to Kolkata.
Originally scheduled to visit Kolkata, Martinez himself told Dutta about his interest to come to Bangladesh. Based on the footballers interest, Dutta is already in talks with sponsors in Bangladesh. While speaking to The Business Standard (TBS), he said everything would be finalised within five-six days.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
"We contacted Martinez to bring him to Kolkata," Dutta said. "But he himself told me about Bangladesh. He knows very well about the country and the overwhelming support there for Argentina. He said, 'I want to go to Bangladesh too. We have a lot of fans there. It will be great to meet them'. We have a plan to take him to Dhaka on 3 July."
Dutta has contacted a few sponsors but is yet to give one his final word. "For Martinez's interest, we started to try to bring a Bangladeshi sponsor on board. I have a lot of acquaintances, business partners there. I am in talks with a few but keeping it non-exclusive. If I get a better offer, I will go for it," he mentioned.
Bashundhara Group, Bkash, Grameenphone, Pran Group are among the potential sponsors, said the sports promoter. "I am not directly dealing. I have given the responsibility to my partners. I will join later. I will go to Dhaka next week. It's a matter of a day, so we'll do it quickly. Some have called me directly from there. I've been on it for three days. Hopefully we will finalise everything within five-six days."
Dutta said he will involve the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) in the process. Notably, the BFF promised to bring Argentina to Dhaka but later backed out.
"I met the BFF president years ago. I have a good relationship with him. I will definitely meet him when I am in Bangladesh. I have spoken to him today too. I will involve the BFF. We won't do anything by disrespecting anyone."
On the process of bringing Martinez and other football stars to Kolkata, Dutta said, "I brought many footballers [to Kolkata] before like Pele, Maradona, Cafu, [Carlos] Valderrama. It's important to have the communication and the reason to bring someone. If you make them understand, it's possible."
Martinez, a World Cup winner with Argentina, is scheduled to spend 4 and 5 July in Kolkata and visit the Mohun Bagan football club and lay garlands on a Diego Maradona statue. If things go as per plan, the shot-stopper will visit former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's houses.
The Aston Villa keeper made a last-minute save to deny France's Randal Kolo Muani and helped Argentina end a 36-year wait for the World Cup.
