Kolkata:Great Argentine footballer Lionel Messi reached Kolkata on Saturday and with him the GOAT India Tour 2025 started. Despite it being late at night, the excitement in the city was palpable. As soon as Messi’s plane landed, thousands of fans present in and around the airport welcomed their favorite player with applause, slogans and flags. This scene became another historic glimpse of Kolkata’s love for football.
World Cup winners reach India via Dubai
Fans had gathered at the airport hours in advance to get a glimpse of Messi, who arrived in India via Dubai from Miami. The police had made strict security arrangements, but despite this the enthusiastic crowd kept raising slogans from behind the barricades. People were waving Argentinian flags and chanting ‘Messi-Messi’. Messi’s return to India after 14 years made the football lovers of the country emotional.
#WATCH Fans of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi chant his name and wave the Argentine flag and flags supporting the tag ‘Messians of Bengal’, ardently waiting to catch a glimpse of their star outside the private hotel where Messi will stay on his first day in Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/ps7TCn4PgA
— ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2025
New energy to Indian football
Tour organizer Satadru Dutta said that this tour of Messi is very special for Indian football. According to him, participation of sponsors on such a large scale has never been seen before. It is clear from this that the connection of football in India is once again getting stronger and the young generation will get inspiration from it.
waiting for fans
It was difficult to express in words the enthusiasm of the supporters present at the airport. Many people had reached there two to three hours in advance. One fan said, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, we don’t want to miss it at any cost.” At the same time, another fan described that night as “magical” and called Messi the best player.
#WATCH Kolkata, West Bengal , A fan of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi says, "We have been waiting for two hours. If needed, we will wait for even four hours. We can’t miss this one in a lifetime opportunity…" pic.twitter.com/eRLgbAR8CO
— ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2025
Tour of four cities, celebrations across the country
In this three-day tour, apart from Kolkata, Messi will also visit Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. Special programs have been planned in every city to welcome him, due to which the celebration of football has spread throughout the country.
busy schedule in kolkata
Messi’s day in Kolkata will begin in the morning with a private meet-and-greet involving select guests and the organisers. After this, he will virtually inaugurate a statue installed in his name, which is a symbol of the city’s love for him.
Historic evening at Yuva Bharti Stadium
The most awaited moment of the day will be at the Yuva Bharti Stadium, where Messi will take part in a friendly match. This match is expected to be memorable in the presence of thousands of spectators. The Kolkata leg will conclude with an interaction program with fans in the same stadium.
huge demand for tickets
Tickets for these programs were made available through the District App, the starting price of which was around Rs 4,500. Due to huge demand, tickets of most categories were sold out quickly. After a long time, Kolkata is going to witness such a big football event, which has filled the entire city with excitement.
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