14-Year Wait Ends: Argentine Legend Lionel Messi Receives Grand Welcome in India, ‘GOAT India Tour’ Begins
Kolkata (The Uttam Hindu): For Indian football fans, the day turned into a historic celebration as Argentine World Cup–winning captain and global football icon Lionel Messi finally arrived in India after a gap of 14 years. Under the ‘GOAT India Tour 2025’, Messi will stay in the country for three days and interact with fans across four major cities. He landed at Kolkata airport around 1:30 am. Notably, former Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez and Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul are accompanying him on this tour.
The excitement in the ‘City of Joy’ Kolkata was clearly visible. From the airport to Hyatt Regency hotel, thousands of fans gathered holding Argentina jerseys, flags, and posters, eager to catch a glimpse of their football hero. The streets echoed with chants of “Messi, Messi” throughout the night. Due to security arrangements, Messi entered the hotel through a back gate, which disappointed some fans waiting in the lobby, but the overall enthusiasm in the city remained sky-high. Messi is visiting India as part of his role as a UNICEF brand ambassador.
Messi’s schedule on the first day in Kolkata is packed. In the morning, he will virtually unveil a massive 70-foot-tall statue of himself at the Yuva Bharati Stadium. Later, he is set to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly, and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Around 12:30 pm, fans will see Messi in action during a friendly football match. Soon after, at around 2 pm, he will depart for Hyderabad.
Upon reaching Hyderabad, Messi will participate in another football match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at 4 pm. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is also expected to play in this match. In the evening, a grand musical programme will be organised in Messi’s honour. Organisers have also arranged a special ‘Meet and Greet’ session for fans, offering an opportunity to meet Messi and take photographs with him. However, fans will need to pay a premium price, as the ticket for this session is reportedly priced at around ₹10 lakh, including GST.