Kathmandu, March 3 -- It is rare for global footballing icons to visit Nepal. There have only been a few instances when the legends of the game have graced the mountainous country. The English phenom David Beckham arrived in 2015 for a documentary project and played the beautiful game with local wannabes in Bhaktapur.

The Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda was in Kathmandu in August last year for a game representing Bhutan's Paro FC. Honda made headlines by calling the Bhadrakali ground 'a joke', complaining about the suboptimal training facilities provided to him.

When the Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon, widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers to play the game, arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday, he too touched upon the country's la...