Kolkata: If all the pieces fall in place, football devotees in Kolkata will have the first sighting of iconic Lionel Messi after a decade, and the City of Joy will be the first stop in the Argentine’s whirlwind journey across Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, culminating in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The sources privy to the development informed PTI that all arrangements have been finalised, including booking the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, but an official confirmation from Messi is still awaited.
“It’s been finalised and we are waiting for an official announcement from Messi, maybe on his social media handle anytime soon,” said the source.
“As of now, we have agreed on the proposed itinerary, and we are just awaiting an official announcement from his social media, which would be in anytime soon,” the source added.
As per the itinerary, Messi will land in Kolkata on the night of December 12 around 10pm and will stay for two days and one night — the longest stop on his tour.
Kolkata Leg: 70-ft statue, GOAT Cup with Ganguly
The Argentina captain’s Kolkata schedule on December 13 will begin at 9am with a meet-and-greet event, followed by the unveiling of a 70-feet statue of him 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.
He will then head to Eden Gardens, where the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup will be held from 12 noon to 1.30pm.
“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-sided soft-ball, soft-touch game with Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham, Bhaichung Bhutia, among others. It will be a celebration play in respect of Messi,” the source explained.
He hoped for a sellout crowd as it will be a fully ticketed event.
“This will be at Eden. It will be a ticketing event. Denominations are yet to be decided. It would be a little expensive — it should not be less than Rs 3,500.
“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 added.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to felicitate Messi during the Eden Gardens programme.
Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi legs
On the evening of December 13, Messi is slated to travel to Ahmedabad to attend a private event hosted by the Adani Foundation at their Shantigram headquarters.
He will then reach 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 5.30pm.
“We’ve booked the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT Cup at 5.45pm on December 14,” the source said.
There were media reports suggesting that Messi could participate in a seven-a-side cricket match with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, but the source denied this.
“He is not going to play any cricket match in Mumbai. It will be only soft ball and soft touch with him. It will be a celebration of his journey with the presence of Indian celebrities.”
Plans are also in place for Messi to interact with the Indian football team in Mumbai.
“At Mumbai, we have planned an interaction with the Indian football team. Obviously, Sunil Chhetri and the Indian team moment that we have planned in Mumbai as per their respective availabilities,” the source said.
Meeting with PM, Kotla celebration
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 Feroz Shah Kotla at 2.15pm.
At each city, Messi will be conducting a “masterclass” with children, aimed at inspiring the next generation of Indian footballers.
“Messi will be imparting a masterclass with kids at every centre. The main idea is to celebrate Messi’s success, giving little bit, for instance 30 to 40 minutes to motivate the young generation of players. So, masterclass and interaction with Messi.”
No Kerala stop
The source also dispelled rumours of a Kerala leg during Messi’s visit.
“However, there will be no event in Kerala as earlier reported,” the source said.
Messi is also expected to travel with a large entourage, including footballers, though details remain under wraps.
Flashback 2011
In wee hours of August 31, 2011, Messi made his first appearance in India, landing in Kolkata as hysteric fans gathered at the airport to welcome him.
He was here with his team to play an exhibition match against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium a match they won 1-0.
Messi’s arrival sparked “Messi fever” in Kolkata, with thousands of fans lining the streets, donning Messi jerseys, and packing the 75,000-capacity stadium.
MESSI MANIA 2.0
Proposed Itinerary: December 12: Arrival in Kolkata (10pm).
December 13 (Kolkata): 9am — Meet and greet event; Statue unveiling (70-feet) at Lake Town Sribhumi, VIP Road; 12 noon to 1.30pm — GOAT Concert at Eden Gardens followed by GOAT Cup; December 13 (Evening): Adani Foundation private event at Shantigram, Ahmedabad.
December 14 (Mumbai): Meet and greet at CCI (3.45pm); GOAT Concert at Wankhede Stadium (5.30pm).
December 15 (New Delhi): Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi; GOAT Concert at Feroz Shah Kotla (2.15pm).