Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai
Usain Bolt will play football in Mumbai on October 1. The eight-time Olympic gold medallist, the greatest sprinter in the history of the sport, is coming here as PUMA brand ambassador, and will trade his running spikes for a football. Bolt will play one half each for Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC.
Beyond the track, Bolt is a football nerd, an unabashed admirer of Manchester United. After retiring from athletics, he carried a dream of appearing for trials at Carrington which didn’t materialise. But the Jamaican legend had trials at other clubs, in Europe (Borussia Dortmund, no less), South Africa and Australia.
He did play at Old Trafford, wearing the No. 9.58 shirt and captaining the World XI against England at Soccer Aid. He delivered a man-of-the-match performance in front of 72,000 fans, although his team lost in the shootout. Bolt scored from the spot.
He would be joined by India’s top sporting stars and celebrities for the exhibition match, which is an “exclusive football showcase” to fuse sport, culture and entertainment.
Speaking about the event, PUMA India managing director Karthik Balagopalan said: “At PUMA, we believe sport has the power to inspire and unite communities. Football is one of the most popular sports among the youth of India, and bringing Usain Bolt — our global ambassador and one of the greatest icons in world sport — to play here is our way of celebrating that momentum.”
He added: “Bolt is excited and looking forward to taking the pitch in Mumbai, and this unique showcase with Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC is designed to fuel the passion of young fans while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the growth of football in India.”
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