Football fans had been eagerly anticipating Lionel Messi’s first visit to India in 14 years. However, as the Argentine footballer stepped into a truly energetic crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, things didn’t turn out exactly as planned. While Messi initially soaked in the adulation from the crowd, his stay was cut short rather quickly, and he had to hurry out the door after some fans started throwing plastic water bottles onto the field. After this rather unpleasant incident, the football icon virtually unveiled his 70-foot statue at the Shree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata. This unveiling was also attended by Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan and the Uruguayan footballer, Luis Suárez.
Lionel Messi in Kolkata as part of his GOAT India Tour
December 13, 2025, will mark Lionel Messi’s first visit to India in 14 years, as part of a multi-day tour that will take him across the country as part of the GOAT Tour, commemorating the Argentine football icon’s career. While most people thought that Kolkata, the unofficial home of football on the subcontinent, would be the best place for Messi to start his journey, they were quickly proven wrong. As soon as fans learned of Messi’s arrival at the Salt Lake Stadium, a huge crowd began to gather for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to glance at their favourite footballer.
