Portuguese legend Figo impressed with Mumbai fans

Mumbai, March 11 (IANS) Former Real Madrid star Lu?s Figo was impressed by Mumbai football fans at the UEFA event here last week.

Over 200 fans had turned out to experience the event which was organised on Friday.

"It was an absolute delight to bring down the spirit of UEFA Champions League to India and experience this level of support from the fans. The crowd in Mumbai was warm and their knowledge about the competition made us realise how closely these fans follow the Champions League," Figo, who is the UEFA Champions League ambassador, said.

"I look forward to more interactions like this and hope the fans continue to support UEFA Champions League with the same enthusiasm," he added.

The event was the commencement of a global fan initiative by the UEFA Champions League in bringing the premium experience to its potential fan base in markets like India.

The UEFA spokesperson said: "We are glad to be successful in our effort to move closer to the football community in India. It was an endearing experience to witness the zeal and passion of the fans for the Champions League in a country where football isn't the dominant sport. It makes us feel confident about our future endeavours to bring the world's most prestigious club football competition closer to its fans around the globe."

The event also hosted an interactive 'Best of Best' quiz, which gave an opportunity to the winners among the attendees to click a photo alongside the UEFA Champions League trophy and the Portuguese superstar himself.

Adding to the thrill, there were also PlayStation booths set up for football aficionados to aid bonding over their love for the sport and their favourite teams.