The second leg of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola kicked off in Kolkata on Friday.
The star attraction, aside from the Trophy itself, was Germany legend and FIFA World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthaeus, who led the unveiling at the trophy's first-ever visit to India.
Matthaeus said: "It is a great pleasure to travel to India with the FIFA World Cup Trophy and I would like to share my personal experience with young footballers and to motivate them to play football."
Among the hopefuls who may well be inspired by Matthaus were 16 of India's most promising young footballers who, having attended the Trophy's unveiling, will now join up with the Coca-Cola International Football Camp in South Africa during the FIFA World Cup later this year.
Matthaeus picked Spain ahead of much-fancied Brazil and Argentina as his favourite team to win the tournament in South Africa from June 11 to July 11.
"Spain have excellent players in their ranks. They have everything in them and players who can make a difference," he said.
The former West Germany captain, who led the side to beat Diego Maradona's Argentina and win the 1990 World Cup, described the Argentine great as the best footballer ever.
Recalling his rivalry with Maradona, Matthaeus said: "I have not seen any better player than Maradona. It was always great to play against Argentina. Whenever I played against him I was in full concentration. He was fast but I was faster to catch him and hold him."
Maradona had described the German midfielder and sweeper as his "best rival" and Matthaeus reciprocated the gesture, saying they had mutual respect for each other.
"I had played against him for the first time in a friendly in 1982. He was a fantastic player. We had mutual respect for each other apart from the fact that we were rivals on the field. He respected the fact that I did not hurt his legs while tackling him," the 48-year-said.
But from the present lot, Matthaeus, who was the first to receive the FIFA Player of the Year award in 1991, picked Argentine talisman striker Lionel Messi as the best footballer.
"He is the best at the moment. But FIFA will decide who is the best player."
About their 1990 World Cup triumph, which he described as his best moment in his career, he said, "He (Maradona) did not play at the highest level. It was easier for us to beat them."
"...to hold the World Cup as a captain, it was a feeling which cannot be expressed in words. It was everything," said Germany's most capped player with 150 appearances.
Matthaeus, however, said he regretted losing to the UEFA Champions League final to Manchester United in 1999.
Having trailed till regulation time, Manchester United scored two goals in the stoppage time to win the match 2-1.
"We played great football in most part of the match but lapse of concentration in the late minutes did us in. That means you should never lose concentration till the final whistle. It was the saddest moment of my career."
Asked about Thiery Henry's infamous handball against Ireland in a World Cup play-off, the German ace defended the French striker saying even Maradona had a "hand of God".
"I know it was not fairplay. But after the match Henry was down and upset and he had admitted it. I know it was just a quick reflex and not intentional," he said.
Matthaeus will be in the city till January 17 during the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour.
