Football icon Lionel Messi will unveil a towering 21-metre (70-foot) statue of himself in Kolkata on Saturday as he kicks off a three-day visit to India tagged the “GOAT Tour.”
The iron sculpture, depicting Messi lifting the World Cup trophy, is the centrepiece of a tour that will take the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner across four major Indian cities. The visit may also include a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A vibrant “Hola Messi” fan zone has been set up in Kolkata, featuring:
A life-sized model of Messi seated on a throne
A recreation of his Miami home
Mannequins of his family members
Messi is also expected to meet Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly during the Kolkata stop, where he will play a short exhibition match.
Speaking ahead of his trip, Messi said he was delighted to return to India:
India is a very special country. I have good memories from my time there 14 years ago, and the fans were fantastic.
He added that he looked forward to meeting a new generation of supporters in what he described as a “passionate football nation.”
After Kolkata, Messi will visit:
Hyderabad – where a concert will be held in his honour and another friendly match played
Mumbai
New Delhi – where he is reportedly scheduled to meet Prime Minister Modi.
Messi heads into the tour fresh from winning his second consecutive MLS Most Valuable Player award, following an outstanding season in which he led Inter Miami to the league title and finished as top scorer.
The Argentine captain is also expected to lead his national team in their 2026 World Cup title defence next June and July in North America.
