Lionel Messi's visit to India confirmed; Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba could travel with Argentine: Report

It has finally been confirmed that Lionel Messi will visit India in December this year. The Argentine’s visit received its final seal of approval, according to reports, and the Inter Miami star will have a three-city tour, which will kickstart in Kolkata on December 12. Lionel Messi in action for Inter Miami.(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Messi’s trip will also see him go to Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, and his visit has been named ‘GOAT Tour of India 2025’.

The 2022 World Cup winner will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on December 15, and it will be his first trip to India since 2011. In 2011, he visited Kolkata with his national team to play a friendly against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Promoter confirms Lionel Messi's visit

Satadru Dutta, promoter of the event, told PTI, “I got the authorisation and afterwards made it official (on social media). Messi will post any day between August 28 and September 1 with the official poster with all details and a small introduction of his tour.”

The promoter met Messi’s father, who is also his agent, earlier this year with the proposal. Meanwhile, he also met Messi on February 28 at his residence for a 45-minute meeting. “I explained the plan and what we wanted to do. He seemed convinced it was worth it and committed to coming,” he said.

It is also being reported that Messi could travel with Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, but that has not been confirmed yet.

Messi will reach Kolkata on December 12. He will spend two days and one night there. Dutta said, “He's a lover of mate (Argentine herbal tea), so I am doing a fusion of Argentine and Indian Assam tea. This will be an extra addition, to be held on the sidelines of the meet-and-greet event on December 13 morning at his hotel (Taj Bengal).”

“All Bengali fish, including hilsa, and sweet delicacies will be there on the platter for the food festival.”

There will also be an unveiling of Messi’s mural during the upcoming Durga Puja, where fans can post messages. “Not only will he unveil his biggest-ever statue, we will have a huge mural (dimensions of 25 feet height and 20 feet width) for him, which will be kept at strategic Durga Puja pandal-hopping locations so that all his fans will have an opportunity to paint and post messages in a nearby message box. That mural will be presented to Messi when he's inside the stadium for the GOAT Concert,” he said.

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