India welcomes the GOAT: Lionel Messi set for three-day multi-city tour

New Delhi: Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi is all set to visit India from December 13 to 15, marking his return to the country after more than a decade. The global football icon will visit Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi, participating in a series of cultural events, workshops, and sporting activities.

Messi’s tour will kick off in Kolkata on December 13, where he will be felicitated at the iconic Eden Gardens. The West Bengal government is expected to host a grand reception for the football star, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee likely in attendance. A special seven-a-side tournament titled the ‘GOAT CUP’ will also be organised in his honour.

In addition to public events, Messi will conduct a football workshop for children and inaugurate a football clinic, aimed at nurturing grassroots talent.

The next day, December 14, Messi will travel to Mumbai, where he is scheduled to visit the historic Wankhede Stadium — the site of India’s 2011 Cricket World Cup triumph. According to reports, a charity seven-a-side cricket match featuring Messi and Indian cricket stars MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and legend Sachin Tendulkar is being planned. The event is being coordinated by event management company Wizcraft and has received approval from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

“Yes, Messi is set to visit the Wankhede Stadium on December 14,” a source from MCA told The Times of India. “The organisers have sought permission for a ticketed event, which has been granted. A couple of superstar cricketers may also attend.”

Meanwhile, earlier in June, Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman confirmed that Messi and the 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning Argentina squad would also visit Kerala in October or November to play a friendly match at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala government has announced full support and intends to host the team as state guests, although the status of the match remains unclear.

Messi last visited India in September 2011, when he led Argentina in a friendly against Venezuela at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. Currently playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, Messi remains one of the most decorated players in football history, with eight Ballon d'Ors, six European Golden Shoes, and the FIFA Golden Ball from the 2022 World Cup — his second after 2014.