If all goes well as planned, football fans in Kolkata will get to see iconic Lionel Messi in action after a decade. Kolkata will be the first stop in the Argentine's whirlwind tour across Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, which will culminate in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It is learnt that all arrangements have been finalised, including the booking of Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, but no official confirmation has been received from Messi so far. The organisers are expecting Messi to confirm his visit on his social media handle anytime soon. “As of now, we have agreed on the proposed itinerary and are just awaiting an official announcement from his social media,” said one of the organisers.
Longest stop in Kolkata
According to the itinerary, Messi will land in Kolkata on the night of December 12 at around 10 pm and will stay for two days and one night there, the longest stop on his tour. The Argentina captain’s Kolkata schedule on December 13 will begin at 9 am with a meet-and-greet event, followed by the unveiling of his 70-feet statue at the Lake Town Sribhumi on VIP Road. Organisers claim this will be the first ever and tallest statue of the World Cup winner anywhere in the world. Messi will then head to Eden Gardens, where the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup will be held from 12 noon to 1.30 pm.
“I don’t want to mislead people. So basically, it will be a celebration of Messi, a master class with Messi. He will play the GOAT Cup in a seven-side soft-ball, soft-touch game with Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham and Bhaichung Bhutia, among others. It will be a celebration play in Messi’s honour,” said the organiser.
It will be a ticketing event, for which the prices are yet to be decided. It is learnt that the lowest priced ticket will cost Rs 3,500. "The entire stadium will be open, so we can expect a full capacity of 68,000. For 1 hour 20 minutes, Messi will be there with musical tribute, masterclass with kids,” he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to felicitate Messi during the Eden Gardens programme.
Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi legs
On the evening of December 13, Messi will travel to Ahmedabad to attend a private event hosted by the Adani Foundation at its Shantigram headquarters. He will then visit Mumbai for events on December 14, including a meet-and-greet at CCI at 3.45pm, followed by the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup at the Wankhede Stadium at 5.30 pm. “We’ve booked the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT Cup at 5.45 pm on December 14,” the organiser said.
There were media reports suggesting that Messi could participate in a seven-a-side cricket match with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, but there is no confirmation in this regard. Plans are also in place for Messi’s interaction with the Indian football team in Mumbai.
"At Mumbai, we have planned an interaction with the Indian football team and Sunil Chhetri. But this is subject to their availability,” said the organiser.
Meeting with PM Modi
On December 15, Messi will be in New Delhi, where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by a GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup at Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium at 2.15 pm.
At each of the cities, Messi will be conducting a “masterclass” with children, aimed at inspiring the next generation of Indian footballers. The main idea is to celebrate Messi’s success. It is learnt that there will be no event involving Messi in Kerala, as reported earlier. Messi is also expected to travel with a large entourage, including footballers.
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