As football fans around the world celebrate Lionel Messi’s birthday today, actor Chanchal Chowdhury has joined the tributes in his own artistic way. A lifelong admirer of the Argentine footballer, the actor recently shared a hand-drawn portrait of Messi on social media, drawing praise from fans.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Chanchal reflected on his admiration for Messi, his love for Argentina, and the inspiration behind the artwork.
“I’ve always enjoyed painting,” he explained. “I studied Fine Arts for a period of time and still paint whenever I have the time. With the World Cup taking place and Messi continuing to make headlines through his performances and goals, I suddenly felt inspired to paint his portrait.”
The artwork received an enthusiastic response from fans and followers. Chanchal said the portrait was created out of his admiration for Messi, and he was delighted by the appreciation it received from so many people.
An Argentina supporter since childhood, Chanchal traces his love for the team back to the era of Diego Maradona.
“Argentina has always been my favourite team,” he said. “When I was growing up, Maradona was the biggest star in world football. Like millions of others, I admired him tremendously. Today, Lionel Messi carries that legacy. He is one of my favourite footballers, and I love the rhythm and style with which Argentina play.”
The actor recently watched Argentina’s match against Australia and described it as a thrilling encounter. He admitted feeling disappointed when Messi missed an early penalty, a sentiment shared by many supporters. However, Messi soon turned the game around with a brilliant performance.
“When Messi scored and later added another goal before the end of the match, it was a joy to watch,” he said. “He reached another remarkable milestone and once again demonstrated the magic he brings to football.”
For Chanchal, the result made the evening even more enjoyable. Watching his favourite team emerge victorious and witnessing Messi continue to break records only reinforced his admiration for the Argentine captain.
Football has also become a shared passion between Chanchal and his son, Shuddho, who also supports Argentina. According to the actor, his son’s allegiance to the team stems from his own admiration for Argentine football rather than parental influence.
“Shuddho supports Argentina in his own way,” he said. “I don’t think it’s simply because I support them. He genuinely likes the team. Watching matches together, supporting the same side and sharing those moments as father and son is something we both enjoy.”
The father-son duo recently delighted fans by posting photographs of themselves wearing Argentina jerseys on social media. Chanchal revealed that the jerseys were a special gift from an admirer living in Italy.
“We posted similar photos during the previous World Cup as well,” he said. “This time, a fan sent Argentina jerseys for both me and Shuddho from Italy. We wore them, took some photographs together and shared them online.”
For Chanchal, football is about more than just the result on the pitch. It is also about the memories created around the game.
“I thoroughly enjoy football,” he said. “But I enjoy it even more when I watch matches with my son. Supporting our favourite team together makes the experience truly special.”
