Lionel Messi keen to meet Gen-Z fans in India on December visit

Lionel Messi has confirmed his GOAT Tour of India, 14 years after he first set foot in Kolkata, in December this year across Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. The three-day tour will be spread over three cities from 13-15 December, while a fourth city is yet to be announced soon.

Speaking of the event in a statement from Satadru Dutta Initiative, the organisers, the Argentine genius said: “India is a very special country and I have good memories from my time there 14 years ago. The fans were fantastic. I look forward to meeting a new generation of supporters and sharing my love for this beautiful game.”

The tour will see the World Cup winner visit the iconic stadiums in each city — Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The stadia will host events and spectators can visit via ticketed entries, with tickets available via the District App. 

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The visit will also include a statue unveiling in Kolkata’s Lake Town area, where earlier Diego Maradona unveiled his own statue during his visit in 2017. The occasion will also see the launch of a new charitable initiative, while Messi will also meet local sport and entertainment figures along with dignitaries as a part of the tour.

The last time Messi visited the City of Joy was for a different reason, when he sported the captain’s armband for the first time as the Argentine national team won a friendly 1-0 against Venezuela. Nicholas Otamendi scored the solitary goal from a header after a Messi flag kick.

While Messi-mania will certainly sweep Kolkata in December, the Albiceleste is scheduled to play a friendly match in Kerala between 10 and 18 November, with Australia the likely opponents. The Argentina Football Association has marked India as a pit stop for the friendlies, though it remains to be seen if Messi will undertake two India visits in a year.