Lionel Messi's Lucky Charm? Argentine Fans Wish to Send Diego Maradona's 'Heart' to Qatar World Cup

Devotion to football in Argentina is arguably unparalleled and the man who signifies that madness is Diego Maradona. He's a godly figure there, something he achieved after single-handedly guiding them to the 1986 World Cup crown. While the iconic footballer passed away in 2020, his legend lives on.

Lionel Messi is often considered as Diego Maradona's heir in Argentina, but the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has failed in his efforts to bring an end to the country's 36-year wait for the FIFA World Cup title.

Many experts believe that the World Cup in Qatar would be Messi's last opportunity to end that long drought and to achieve their goal a group of La Albiceleste supporters have come up with a rather unusual idea.

Considering Messi shared a close bond with Maradona, the idea of these fans is to send the heart, yes, you heard it right, the heart of the legendary football star to the Gulf country because they believe it will act as a "lucky charm" for La Pulga and his teammates.

"In the news it was reported that the heart (of Maradona) was in a Prosecutor's Office. This is an idea we have and we want everyone to start listening to it so that we begin to share it as Argentines and see if it is possible," Javier Mentasti, one of the members of the fan group, told the country's radio station Rock and Pop in Buenos Aires.

According to reports in the nation's press, the Argentine government seized Maradona's heart after his death and preserved it in a formalin flask.

In their proposal, the group has asked the government to make arrangements for the organ to be transported to the Middle Eastern country so that Messi and company could keep it with them during the entire duration of the tournament.

"I imagine a procession carrying him, that people would accompany the bus and that the caravan would gather at Ezeiza before taking off," Mentasti added.

"Ugly things are being said, that they wanted to steal him. So, why not do this? For him to go to what could be Messi's last World Cup could be good," he concluded.

Last year, the ex-Barcelona skipper finally won his maiden international trophy in Argentina colours after he powered his side to victory over Brazil in the Copa America final in July.