The statue featuring Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy was completed in a mere 40 days by the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata.
messi unveils 70-foot statue at Kolkata.
Eight times Ballon d’Or award holder and football legend Lionel Andrés Messi virtually unveiled his 70-ft tall iron statue from the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kolkata on Saturday in the presence of West Bengal fire department minister Sujit Bose and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
The statue featuring Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy was completed in a mere 40 days by the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata, who claim that it is the largest statue ever built of the Argentine footballer. The statue is believed to be a replica of a famous photograph of Messi holding the World Cup in 2022.
Advertisement
| Messi in India | Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and his young son AbRam posed with football icon Lionel Messi.@iamsrk | #ShahRukhKhan #Bollywood #LionelMessi #MessiInIndia #Messi #MessiInKolkata #goattourindia #MessiStatue #TheStatesman
Advertisement
[Messi, Messi in Kolkata,… pic.x.com/YhR7GZBBIh
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) December 13, 2025
Regarded as one of football’s Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.), Messi arrived in Kolkata on December 13, 2025, around 2:30 am to kick off his three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025, which begins in Kolkata, followed by Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, respectively. His return to the city and the Salt Lake Stadium, where he last played over a decade ago, has sparked immense excitement across the city, with fans gathering in huge numbers to welcome him.
Following the statue unveiling, a friendly match and a felicitation ceremony were organised at the Salt Lake Stadium. However, just 22 minutes later, Messi left the stadium, leaving his fans infuriated and throwing the venue into a frenzy.
Moving on to Hyderabad, Messi is scheduled for an evening event at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium where fans can look forward to a short exhibition match, a football clinic and a felicitation ceremony, bringing a wave of excitement to the city.
In Mumbai, Messi’s itinerary includes an event at the Wankhede Stadium, followed by a 45-minute philanthropic fashion event and the Padel Cup at the Cricket Club of India (CCI), combining sports, fashion and charity in one day.
Finally, the tour concludes in Delhi, where he will have a high-profile meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, celebrate the talents of Minerva Academy’s youth teams through a felicitation ceremony and wrap up his tour with a nine-a-side celebrity match, bringing fans and stars together for a final opportunity to celebrate his presence in India.
Advertisement
