The Bengal Story Bureau: Indian opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is making the most of his time away from the cricket pitch by soaking in the FIFA World Cup 2026 fever in the United States. The 24-year-old was spotted in the stands during the Round of 32 clash between France and Sweden, but it was his choice of attire—a Lionel Messi Argentina jersey—that quickly grabbed the attention of fans online.
A Bucket-List Football Experience
Jaiswal attended the high-octane knockout match at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where France eventually secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Sweden. Despite Argentina not playing in this specific fixture, the young Indian cricketer proudly flaunted the iconic white-and-blue No. 10 jersey to show his clear admiration for the defending champions and their legendary captain.
Taking to his official Instagram account to document the experience, Jaiswal posted a short video from the stands with the simple caption “Bucket list”. He was seen humming along to Shakira’s official World Cup track ‘Dai Dai’ and enjoying the electric, carnival-like atmosphere alongside thousands of football fans.
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A Well-Deserved Break From Cricket
The Rajasthan Royals star is currently enjoying a break from national duties. Jaiswal recently smashed an unbeaten 110 against Afghanistan during an ODI match in Chennai, cementing his position as one of the few Indian batters to score a century across all three international formats.
However, with the return of senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, he was rested for India’s upcoming white-ball tour of England. The southpaw is expected to return to action for Team India during the home Test series against New Zealand scheduled for November later this year.
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