Written by Pooja Nair for The New Indian Express
As the roar of 85,000 fervent souls echoed through the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Lionel Messi etched his final chapter on Argentine soil with a brace in a 3-0 demolition of Venezuela, sealing World Cup qualification with tears and a sense of triumph, on September 5. Yet, amid the sea of sky-blue-and-white, one unlikely pilgrim stood out. Not a local diehard, but a 22-year-old freestyle wizard from Areekode in Malappuram district – Muhammed Rizwan.
Invited as a VIP guest by the Argentina Football Association, Rizwan wasn’t just watching; he was there, heart pounding, as Messi’s precision mirrored his own viral sorcery. “I never imagined my dream player would gift me this moment,” Rizwan told TNIE.
A single Instagram reel that shattered records and borders is what came as a blessing for Rizwan, as there has been no turning back since then. Posted in November 2023 at the Keralamkundu waterfall, where emerald waters tumble over ancient rocks, he nailed a football from afar, arcing it behind the cascade in a feat of gravity-defying finesse.
What started as a lark exploded: 554 million views and counting, which was also viewed by the large populations of people around the world, including in Germany, Spain, and France. Guinness World Records crowned it the most-viewed Reel ever on January 8, 2024, with Rizwan hoisting the certificate triumphantly at the same roaring falls, football in hand.
“That kick? It was pure instinct,” he laughs, recalling the clip’s overnight alchemy from 1 million to global frenzy. Hailing from Mankadavu village, son of shopkeeper Abdul Majeed, Rizwan’s love affair with the beautiful game ignited in childhood.
A hand injury derailed professional dreams, but social media tutorials on freestyle flair, spinning balls on mountaintops, rooftops, and even underwater rekindled the fire three years ago. Now, with over 2.2 million Instagram followers, his portfolio boasts 250 million-plus views per video. Last month in Dubai, en route to Argentina, courtesy sponsors Lulu Exchange, he hobnobbed with national team coach Lionel Scaloni at a glitzy event.
“Scaloni shook my hand, and said my tricks inspired the squad,” Rizwan said.
The Argentine media crowded around him before the match, eager to know more. “We’ve seen your waterfall trick, it’s everywhere!” reporters said, even as fans from Spain and Germany also spoke about the viral video that crossed continents. “I was shocked,” Rizwan recalled, his Malayalam accent having stood out in the crowd.
“That one video opened the doors I had been chasing for years. From Kerala streams to Messi’s stadium, it feels like the ball chose its own path.”
Back home, Rizwan’s father Abdul Majeed grew emotional. “My son turned his pain into something beautiful. This is our family’s Copa,” he said.