Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi has reached Kolkata after midnight on December 13. The 38-year-old was accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates, Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul. Notably, the trio reached the City of Joy at around 3:30 am and was welcomed by Satadru Datta and his team at the airport. The little magician, as he is popularly known, was wearing a blue coat and pants, while Suarez was spotted wearing a white t-shirt.
Anticipating a massive crowd outside the airport, Messi was escorted from a different route, but that didn’t stop the fans. They gathered on the Bypass road and some even booked the same hotel to have a glimpse of the maestro.
All details of Kolkata leg of Messi' GOAT Tour 2025
Notably, the GOAT Tour 2025 will kick off at 9:30 am in the morning with some sponsored activities. However, since the trio of footballers arrived at least two hours late in the night, the programme may be delayed for some time. However, no such notice has been issued for the same.
After the sponsored event, Messi will virtually unveil his 70-foot statue in Lake Town. He was initially supposed to visit the place to inaugurate it but due to a packed schedule, it will now be done online.
The rest of the events will be taking place at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. A friendly match between Mohun Bagan and Diamond Harbours has been arranged and after which, Messi will felicitate Bengal’s Santosh Trophy-winning squad. He, along with Suarez and Rodrygo, will also host a masterclass with several children in the stadium.
Celebrities such as Sourav Ganguly, Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham and Laender Paes, among many others, will be present to attend the event. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with other ministers, will also be present to felicitate Messi and his two teammates. After wrapping the event, the star footballer will fly to Hyderabad in the afternoon.