Overview
- Messi landed at 2:26 am in Kolkata to start his three‑day, four‑city GOAT India Tour 2025, drawing thousands to the airport and along city streets.
- Police routed him through a VIP exit and a large convoy to his hotel, limiting fan sightings as barricades and security deployments expanded across key locations.
- Kolkata’s schedule includes a sponsor meet‑and‑greet, a tribute and exhibition match at Salt Lake Stadium, youth interactions, and a virtual unveiling of a 70‑foot statue after on‑site permission was denied.
- The itinerary shifts to Hyderabad later today, then Mumbai on December 14 and New Delhi on December 15, where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Messi arrived with Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, as organisers hailed the visit’s potential for Indian football even as questions were raised over ticket pricing and private monetisation.