new delhi, DEC 11
Lionel Messi is coming to India after 14 years as part of the ‘GOAT India Tour 2025’, sending football fans across the country into a frenzy. The Argentine superstar will travel across major Indian cities from December 13 to 15, marking his first visit since 2011, when he captained Argentina in a friendly against Venezuela at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.
Messi will land in Kolkata at 1:30 am from Miami and begin a packed schedule, starting with official meetings at 9:30 am. During his stay, he is expected to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
Kolkata, known for its deep football culture, has prepared elaborate tributes for the World Cup-winning captain. Sree Bhumi Sporting Club has constructed a 70-foot iron statue of Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy, believed to be the tallest statue of a footballer in the world. Although the city had initially planned a public unveiling, Messi will now inaugurate the statue virtually on December 13 due to security concerns. Local fan groups have also joined the celebrations. The Argentina Football Fan Club Kolkata has recreated Messi’s Miami home in Salt Lake, complete with terracotta roofs, life-sized cutouts, and statues of the footballer and his family. Visuals of workers installing these statues ahead of his arrival have gone viral. After his Kolkata engagements, Messi will depart for Hyderabad at 2 pm to attend a 7v7 exhibition match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium alongside Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The evening will feature a musical extravaganza celebrating his illustrious career.
Parvathi Reddy, advisor to The GOAT Tour Hyderabad, mentioned that Messi will be joined by his Inter Miami CF teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez. The highlight of the Hyderabad leg will be a special football clinic for young players, where Messi and his teammates will train and interact with children.
“It is mostly focused on the football clinic that Messi is going to have.” Reddy said. “Rodrigo (De Paul) and Luis Suarez, they will also be part of the football clinic along with the Chief Minister of Telangana, they will be training children, they will be inspiring children, they will be giving tips on football,” she added.
On December 14, Messi will head to Mumbai, where he is scheduled to participate in multiple events, including a Padel Cup appearance, a celebrity football match, and a charity fashion show. He is also likely to join Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli in a 7-a-side cricket match, a rare crossover moment for Indian sports fans.
