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Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata early on Saturday morning to begin his much-awaited GOAT Tour in India. The football legend, who is considered one of the greatest players of all time, is visiting India for the second time. He last played in the country in 2011 during a friendly match.
A large number of fans gathered outside Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport despite strict security. However, many supporters were left disappointed as Messi was taken directly to his hotel through a back entrance at around 3:30 am, without any public appearance.
Messi was accompanied by his Argentina teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. Even though fans could not see him at the airport, excitement in Kolkata remains very high as people prepare to watch their hero during scheduled events.
Watch the video here
G.O.A.T Leo Messi in our lence 🎥🐐 pic.twitter.com/RHYEwGWiOn
— lndian Sports Netwrk (@IS_Netwrk29) December 12, 2025
#WATCH | West Bengal: Star footballer Lionel Messi greets his fans at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2025
A friendly match and a felicitation ceremony will be organised here. #Messi𓃵 #MessiInIndia
(Video Source: DD Sports) pic.twitter.com/ijEsiDMwEg
Lionel Messi’s Schedule in Kolkata
Here is Lionel Messi’s full schedule during his short stay in Kolkata:
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 9:30 am – 10:30 am | Meet-and-greet programme |
| 10:30 am – 11:15 am | Virtual inauguration of Messi’s statue |
| 11:15 am – 11:25 am | Arrival at Yuva Bharati (Salt Lake Stadium) |
| 11:30 am | Shah Rukh Khan arrives at the stadium |
| 12:00 pm | Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly arrive |
| 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | Friendly match, felicitation and fan interaction |
| 2:00 pm | Departure for Hyderabad |
Messi will stay in Kolkata until 2 pm before flying to Hyderabad, where he will take part in a charity match with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
After Hyderabad, the GOAT Tour will move to Mumbai, where Messi will play another charity match and attend a fashion event with Luis Suárez. The final stop of the tour will be in New Delhi, where Messi is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The tour will end with a special event at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Also Read: Lionel Messi GOAT India Tour 2025: Full Schedule, Ticket Prices & Live Streaming
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