A Fan Club in Kolkata celebrates Messi's birthday

Far away from his home town Rosario, Lionel Messi's 30th birthday was celebrated with much fanfare at a club here in the football-crazy city.

A 65-pound cake of five feet length and three feet in width resembling a football pitch was cut by the Argentina Football Fan Club at Gaguly Bagan in South Kolkata and members also distributed football and sweets in nearby areas.

"The aim is to promote the sport and encourage kids to take up football," secretary of the club Uttam Saha said.

They have been celebrating Messi's birthday since 2006 when the Argentine made his debut.

"I'm also regular at the World Cups since 2006 and kept celebrating his birthdays since then," Saha said.