© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Lionel Messi has confirmed his visit to India, stating that it is an “honour” to revisit the “passionate football nation” country where he last played 14 years ago. Messi will embark on a four-city tour of India starting at Kolkata on December 12. He will then fly to Ahmedabad, followed by Mumbai and then Delhi on December where he is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“It is such an honour for me to make this trip. India is a very special country, and I have good memories from my time there 14 years ago — the fans were fantastic. India is a passionate football nation, and I look forward to meeting a new generation of fans while sharing the love I have for this beautiful game,” Messi said in an official statement.
Organiser Satadru Dutta had already unveiled the itinerary on August 15, and Messi’s statement on Thursday marked the first time the football great himself confirmed the visit.
After landing in Kolkata on December 12, the next day Messi will attend the unveiling of a statue of his followed by a ‘GOAT Concert’ and ‘GOAT Cup’. The GOAT Cup will be a celebratory seven-a-side soft-touch football match, with Messi teaming up alongside Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham and Bhaichung Bhutia. Tickets are likely to start at Rs 3,500 and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to felicitate Messi during the programme.
This will be followed by a flight to Ahmedabad on the evening of December 13, where Dutta says Messi will be attending a private event with some of his sponsors. Messi then moves to Mumbai on December 14. Messi will be in Delhi on December 15, where he will have another GOAT Concert at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Dutta also said that Messi will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We will seek an appointment from the Prime Minister,” Dutta said.
The visit this year won’t be Messi’s first trip to India. That was made in 2011, when he played a friendly against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. That also happened to be Messi’s first match as Argentina captain.
Even as Messi prepares for his December commitments, the Argentina national football team has included India in its schedule for a November FIFA international window.
The Lionel Scaloni-coached world champions are set to play a friendly in Kerala between November 10-18, though the opponents and venue are yet to be finalised.
If that visit goes ahead, it could mean Messi making two trips to India within two months. However, it remains to be seen whether the 38-year-old forward will feature in the Kerala match.
“I will be surprised if the legendary footballer comes twice in a month. However, it is most likely that the Argentina team minus Messi may come to play in Kerala,” a source in the state said.
The November friendly will be part of three games during the window, with the other two scheduled in Angola.
“The Argentine national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will have two FIFA friendly windows in the remainder of 2025,” the AFA had said in its statement.
“The first, in October, from the 6th to the 14th, will be played in the United States (opponents and cities to be determined). The second, from the 10th to the 18th of November, will be played in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala, India (opponents to be determined),” it added.
Messi, an Olympic gold medallist and 2022 World Cup-winning captain, continues to attract unprecedented fanfare worldwide, and his December tour is expected to be one of the biggest football-related events ever staged in India.
(With PTI inputs)
