KOLKATA: Thousands of fans braved the December chill and waited past midnight in Kolkata to welcome Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi, as he arrived in the city during the early hours of Saturday as part of his three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025. Messi’s flight touched down at 2.26am, triggering scenes of jubilation at the international arrivals terminal. Gate 4 quickly filled with chanting supporters waving Argentina flags, filming on their phones and sprinting between entrances in the hope of catching even a fleeting glimpse of the football icon. Children were lifted onto shoulders, drums echoed through the terminal and chants of “Messi! Messi!” Ran out as the footballer was escorted through a VIP exit under heavy security. A convoy then took him to his hotel, where another crowd had gathered and waited through the night. Police barricades, a large security deployment and continuous cheering marked what many fans described as a citywide eruption of “Messi mania”. Messi arrived alongside long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul. Over the next 72 hours, he is scheduled to travel to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, where he will meet chief ministers, business leaders, film celebrities and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
A sleepless wait
For many supporters who had stayed awake through the night, the wait ended in disappointment. Tight security arrangements meant Messi was taken directly from the airport to his hotel around 3.30am through a back entrance, denying hundreds of fans any sight of him. Only a handful of airport staff managed a brief glimpse as he stepped off a private Gulfstream V aircraft, dressed in a black suit over a white T-shirt, before being driven away from the tarmac. Scenes at the Hyatt Regency hotel later turned chaotic as fans ran through corridors shouting “Messi! Messi!”, their voices echoing into the early morning hours. The lobby took on the atmosphere of an Argentine supporters’ club, with sky-blue jerseys, scarves and flags on display. Mothers breastfed infants, children ran through the space and exhausted fans collapsed onto sofas as anticipation mounted. Messi checked into Room 730, with the entire seventh floor sealed off to restrict movement around his suite. Some fans who could afford it booked rooms in the hotel in the hope of staying close to their idol. One family from New Alipore checked in a day early so their son, Krish Gupta, would not miss the moment — even though he supports Messi’s great rival. “I’m a die-hard Ronaldo fan, so what? His biggest rival is coming to my city and I cannot miss the moment. So we planned to stay in the hotel a day in advance,” said Krish, a Class 9 student of Birla High School. He wandered through the hotel’s coffee shop with his mother and elder sister, hoping for a glimpse. “I just want to tell him to play football with me. And if I’m not successful, I will go to the gym tomorrow morning to catch a glimpse of him. I have my autograph book ready and hopefully I will get a selfie.”
‘A historic moment’
Satadru Dutta, the sole promoter of the tour, who received Messi at the airport, described the visit as a landmark event for the city. “In 2011, he had come after becoming the captain, but now he is coming after winning the World Cup and his eighth Ballon d’Or. So, this is really special. I don’t think he will come again, so it’s about celebration,” he said. Dutta added that Messi’s presence could help energize Indian football. “Never ever have so many sponsors come together for a football star. You can say this is for Messi, but even if 10 per cent of that money comes to the development of Indian football, it would be very big. This statue that has come up and will be unveiled in the morning is also the first-of-its-kind in the world. Messi is set to leave a legacy behind this time.” Security was tightened across Kolkata ahead of the tour, with police stationed at major intersections, sniffer dogs deployed to check vehicles and heightened surveillance around the hotel. Inside, staff prepared themed decorations, including two large three-tier fondant cakes in Christmas colours. Outside the airport and later near the hotel, crowds continued to gather despite the cold, waving flags, wearing Argentina jerseys and chanting Messi’s name. Some fans arrived in wigs and full Argentine colours, while street vendors sold scarves and No 10 shirts outside the Hyatt Regency. “This is a lifetime opportunity. We will not sleep tonight and will head straight to the stadium in the morning. Today is celebration day,” one fan said.
A packed schedule
Messi’s Kolkata leg begins on Saturday with a sponsors’ meet-and-greet, followed by a tribute program at Salt Lake Stadium featuring music, dance and an exhibition match between Mohun Bagan ‘Messi’ All Stars and Diamond Harbor ‘Messi’ All Stars. He is scheduled to arrive at the stadium at 10.50am, interact with both teams, felicitate Bengal’s Santosh Trophy-winning side and conduct a “Master Class with Messi” for children. Suárez, De Paul and actor Shah Rukh Khan are set to attend, along with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other dignitaries. Messi will then take a lap of honor before virtually unveiling a 70-foot statue of himself at Lake Town. He departs for Hyderabad at 2.05pm for an evening program at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, which includes a short exhibition match, a brief appearance by Telangana chief minister. Revanth Reddya football clinic and a felicitation ceremony. The tour then moves to Mumbai for an event at the Wankhede Stadium, featuring a philanthropic fashion segment with Suárez and De Paul, preceded by a Padel Cup at the Cricket Club of India. The final stop is Delhi, where Messi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Minerva Academy’s triple youth-trophy winners will be honoured, followed by a nine-a-side celebrity match.
