Despite the intense media scrutiny over the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping at the Hyderabad House in the Capital on Thursday, the arrival of Italian legend and the Delhi Dynamos’ marquee player Alessandro Del Piero did not go unnoticed.

Confident and assured, the 39-year-old arrived in the Capital at 3pm on Thursday to kickstart his ISL campaign with the Delhi Dynamos. However, what was constant was the intense media glare and the frenzy that one would associate with a cricketer.

Dressed impeccably in a grey blazer and sky blue shirt, Del Piero arrived with his brother, only to be mobbed by a motley bunch comprising members of the Delhi Dynamos franchise, hungry mediamen, fans and a bunch of curious onlookers.

Despite the chaos that followed the arrival of the former member of the 2006 World Cup winning squad, Del Piero was cool and managed to absorb the attention he was getting with aplomb.

The Juventus legend happily obliged to mediamen who had encircled him and also obliged fans by signing on footballs.

“I am excited to be here in India. I want to start training and am eager to meet my coach, teammates, staff and everyone involved,” Del Piero told reporters after his Emirates flight landed at Terminal 3.

He later wrote on his Twitter handle: “Just landed in New Delhi, I’m well prepared for a new beginning. Ale.”

Mediamen wanting more of the Italian legend, were left dejected, as he was whisked away from the frenzy by members of the Delhi Dynamos franchise to the comforts of a plush hotel in East Delhi. Del Piero is scheduled to hold a detailed interaction with the press on Friday, PR managers associated with the franchise told The Indian Express.

Observers believe the presence of the Italian, who is the most expensive player in the franchise-based ISL tourney, scheduled to kick-off on October 12, will help boost the image of football in a cricket-crazy country.