Kolkata/IBNS, June 11 -- As football fever builds ahead of the FIFA World Cup, a quiet lane in Baranagar has been transformed into an open-air gallery celebrating some of the sport's greatest icons.

The faces of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Sunil Chhetri now adorn a neighbourhood street, turning ordinary walls into a vibrant football-themed canvas.

By profession, Bandyopadhyay is a medical representative, spending his days travelling with a bag of medicines slung over his shoulder. Away from work, however, he is an artist and a passionate football fan whose love for the game inspired the ambitious project.

Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Without sponsorship or financial assistance, he completed the murals entirely with person...