Indonesian Messi superfan welcomes World Cup
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Indonesian Muhammad Yusuf is a massive fan of Argentina and Lionel Messi.
PHOTO: AFP
POLEWALI MANDAR, Indonesia – On the balcony of his house in Indonesia, Muhammad Yusuf swayed to blaring music and waved a replica of the World Cup trophy as hundreds paraded past, many decked out in Argentina’s colours.
The 54-year-old fisherman from a small village in Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi, has been a superfan of the Argentine football team since the 1980s and adores superstar Lionel Messi.
His two-storey wooden house is painted in the white and sky blue of the Albiceleste.
Muhammad also painted the pebbles in his yard, the fence – even his slippers.
“I’ve liked the Argentine team since the Maradona era, and now we have Messi,” Muhammad told AFP of his football hero.
Posters of Messi and the Argentine team jersey adorned every corner of his home a world away from South America.
Outside his house, surrounded by poles flying the Argentine flag, festivities were underway ahead of the FIFA World Cup kick-off on June 11.
A large replica of the golden World Cup trophy boasted pride of place in the centre of Muhammad’s front yard, attracting visitors from neighbouring villages.
Argentina and Lionel Messi fan Muhammad Yusuf holds a replica of the World Cup trophy as football fans pass his house, painted in the colours of the Argentine flag.
PHOTO: AFP
Muhammad’s love for the World Cup-winning captain runs deep and is shared by his family.
His three-year-old grandson is named Muhammad Messi.
The boy was born on the day Argentina beat Mexico in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.
That year, Muhammad went viral in Indonesia for walking 6km from his house to visit his newborn grandson in a neighbouring village – which he had promised to do only if Argentina won football’s top prize.
Football-mad Indonesia participated in the World Cup just once, in 1938, when it was known as the Dutch East Indies, losing 6-0 in the last 16 to Hungary.
The South-east Asian country was eliminated from the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying race in 2025.
Muhammad said he plans to watch every Argentina game in what is likely to be Messi’s last World Cup.
“I hope Messi can be a world champion again in 2026,” he told AFP. AFP
