India is a very special country, an honour to return: Lionel Messi

Kolkata: Football legend Lionel Messi on Thursday confirmed he will participate in the highly anticipated GOAT Tour of India 2025, describing it as an “honour” to revisit the “passionate football nation” he last played in 14 years ago.

“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.

The four-city tour will kick off in Kolkata on December 13 at the Salt Lake Stadium, before moving to Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi, concluding with a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 15. The event in Kolkata will feature the “GOAT Concert” and “GOAT Cup,” where Messi is expected to share the field with Indian sporting icons Sourav Ganguly, Bhaichung Bhutia, and Leander Paes.

The organisers plan to unveil a 25-foot-high mural and Messi’s largest-ever statue during the Durga Puja festivities in Kolkata. Tickets for the events are expected to start at Rs 3,500.

This marks Messi’s first visit to India since 2011, when he captained Argentina in a FIFA friendly against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Promoter Satadru Dutta, who secured authorisation earlier this year after meetings with Messi and his father, promised a unique blend of Indian and Argentine culture throughout the tour. Highlights will include concerts, meet-and-greet sessions, food festivals, football masterclasses, and even a padel exhibition at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium.

A special food and tea festival in Kolkata will celebrate Messi’s fondness for Argentine-made tea, featuring a unique Assam fusion. In Mumbai, he will also take part in the “Padel GOAT Cup,” joined by a celebrity lineup that could include Shah Rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Bollywood stars.

Organisers have confirmed unprecedented security arrangements, with both Messi’s team and local authorities coordinating closely to ensure the superstar’s safety throughout the tour.

Will Messi be in Kerala too?

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.