Fans in large numbers queued up outside the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday morning, tickets in hand and Argentina jerseys on display, as Lionel Messi’s presence in Kolkata turned the area into a festival zone.
Ayush, who travelled from Nepal, stood among the early crowd outside the Salt Lake stadium. “He is my idol. Lionel Messi will definitely play for Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the team has a strong lineup. It feels like a dream - I never thought I would see him. I thank India for this. I love the city of Kolkata. In Nepal, we love Messi and India.”
For one newly married couple, football came before travel plans. A fan says, “We recently got married, but on Messi's visit, we cancelled our honeymoon plan because first we wanted to see Messi. We are very excited to see him, and we have been following him for 10-12 years.”
A fan from Meghalaya summed up the mood simply. “We are from Meghalaya. We are very excited. We are huge fans of Messi. We are very happy.”
As the morning progressed, the queues outside the Salt Lake Stadium only grew longer, marking the first leg of Messi’s G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025.
Away from the stadium, fans also gathered outside the hotel, Hyatt Regency, where the Argentine footballer is staying, hoping to catch a moment as the tour officially began in Kolkata.
“I am real big fan of Messi... My husband and daughter are Messi's biggest fans. They are waiting to meet him... I have a tea shop. I am wife of Messi fan tea seller Shibe Da. We will be attending the event at the ground,” says a woman waiting outside the hotel.
The celebration had started hours earlier. Messi mania gripped Kolkata through the night as thousands waited to welcome the footballer at the airport.
Messi arrived in the city late on Friday night with long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul.
The Barcelona legend landed at 2.26 am at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. Gate 4 of the international arrivals turned into a sea of chants, flags and flashing phones as fans tried to take in the moment.
“I saw him for one second. It was a surreal feeling”, said a fan at the airport.
Another said: “I have loved Messi since 2007. Mohabbat hai. In 2026, we will get the World Cup again. Argentina will be the champion.”
On the inauguration of Lionel Messi's statue, Bengal minister Sujit Ghosh said, "We have talked to his manager. He gave his consent for the statue, and they are also happy."
Promoter and organiser of Messi's tour, Satadru Dutta, told reporters, "I hope that since so many sponsors supported me, someday they will also invest in Indian football.”