Lionel Messi To Meet PM Modi On His 'GOAT Tour Of India 2025'

Lionel Messi is set to visit India from December 12, marking his first trip since 2011. The Argentine football legend will begin his tour in Kolkata, followed by stops in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. His visit will conclude with a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 15.

Messi's tour, named the 'GOAT Tour of India 2025', promises a series of exciting events. In Kolkata, he will participate in a meet-and-greet event featuring a food and tea festival. A statue unveiling and the 'GOAT Concert' and 'GOAT Cup' at Eden Gardens or Salt Lake Stadium are also planned.

Messi's Mumbai Schedule

On December 14, Messi will be in Mumbai for a meet-and-greet at CCI Brabourne. This will be followed by the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup at Wankhede Stadium. A new addition to the schedule is the Mumbai Padel GOAT Cup at CCI Brabourne, where Messi will play padel with celebrities.

The Ahmedabad leg on December 13 includes a private event hosted by the Adani Foundation. Messi's entourage may include Inter Miami teammates like Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba, though no names have been confirmed yet.

Delhi Events and Meeting with PM Modi

In Delhi on December 15, Messi will meet PM Narendra Modi before attending the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup at Feroz Shah Kotla. The Delhi District Cricket Association plans to invite Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill for this event.

The Maharashtra Cricket Association is organising a 'GOAT moment' featuring Messi with cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma. Bollywood stars Ranveer Singh, Aamir Khan, and Tiger Shroff are also expected to join.

Kolkata Highlights

Messi's longest stop will be in Kolkata from December 12 to 13. He'll enjoy a fusion of Argentine mate tea with Indian Assam tea during the morning meet-and-greet at Taj Bengal hotel. Bengali fish dishes and sweets will be part of the food festival.

A mural unveiling during Durga Puja allows fans to post messages for Messi. This mural will be presented to him during the GOAT Concert inside the stadium. The seven-a-side soft-touch football match at Eden Gardens features Messi alongside Sourav Ganguly and others.

Organisers expect high demand for tickets starting at Rs 3,500. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is anticipated to felicitate Messi during this programme.

Dutta confirmed that he met Messi's father earlier this year to present the proposal. On February 28, Dutta had a discussion with Messi himself about the tour plans. "I explained the plan and what we wanted to do," Dutta said.