a world cup winner landed in india with a personal photographer and physio another one was involved in a nasty fistfight with the rival coach and the most famous of them all couldnt really hide his weakness for a cigarette even in the dressing roomalso read if india played a world cup this would be our best xifootballers of all shades have played in india from those on the run painters looking for an alternative profession and students have been welcomed by clubs in the past but there have been some real winners too those who proved themselves on the biggest stage of them allconvincing them wasnt easy though diego forlan the uruguayan who won the fifa golden ball as the outstanding player at the 2010 world cup in south africa wanted guaranteed access to a golf course before joining mumbai city fcanother man who would go on to win top individual honours at a world cup however arrived in india to prove himself remember salvatore schillaci goa had heard this name and even seen him much before he won the golden boot as the leading goal scorer at italia 1990 and golden ball as the best playerin 1984 schillaci played at a 4000capacity stadium in goa which was later razed down to make way for parking space he was part of an italian under23 reserves and never looked like the man who would surprise the world with his six goals in a world cup six years laterthen there was paolo maldini who lazed around on the calangute beach in north goa and attracted attention only when he visited a famous night club in the vicinity i took him to the night club and next day the italian press reported that maldini was enjoying in goa rather than focus on his recuperation he was here with his physio said fabian fernandes a local panch and founder of goa united sports clubafter his ifa shield final visit in the 1980s in 1993 bobby moore englands only world cup winning captain of 1966 was once again convinced to be the chief guest of all events for an intervillage football tournament in goa he was disgusted with the football but sat through the match and gave away the prizes said one of the organisersthe advent of the indian super league has opened the doors for superstars to consider india as an option at the fag end of their careers italian alessandro del piero received rs 108 crore for a fourmonth stint with delhi dynamos that yielded just one goal in 10 matches del piero however was undoubtedly a star roaming around with a personal photographer physio and a posse of bodyguardsmost others had no airs about themselves and mingled freely with everyone arsenal legend robert pires went out of his way to make it comfortable for everyone at fc goa often driving for several kilometres to have lunch with his teammates the frenchman only lost his cool when he was involved in a