Lionel Messi unveiled his 70-foot statue in Lake Town, Kolkata, as part of his GOAT Tour in India alongside Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan and Uruguayan footballer, Luis Surez.
Football fans had been eagerly anticipating Lionel Messi's first visit to India in 14 years. However, as the Argentine footballer stepped into a truly energetic crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, things didn't turn out exactly as planned. While Messi initially soaked in the adulation from the crowd, his stay was cut short rather quickly, and he had to hurry out the door after some fans started throwing plastic water bottles onto the field. After this rather unpleasant incident, the football icon virtually unveiled his 70-foot statue at the Shree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata. This unveiling was also attended by Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan and the Uruguayan footballer, Luis Suárez.
December 13, 2025, will mark Lionel Messi's first visit to India in 14 years, as part of a multi-day tour that will take him across the country as part of the GOAT Tour, commemorating the Argentine football icon's career. While most people thought that Kolkata, the unofficial home of football on the subcontinent, would be the best place for Messi to start his journey, they were quickly proven wrong. As soon as fans learned of Messi's arrival at the Salt Lake Stadium, a huge crowd began to gather for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to glance at their favourite footballer.
With the crowd's energy being at an all-time high, things quickly escalated as some fans started to throw water bottles on the ground, cutting short Messi's lap around the stadium. Security personnel quickly intervened to ensure his safety, but soon after he left, the crowd's frustration spilt over as they booed the stadium officials and politicians present at the event. While no harm came to the footballer, the incident highlighted the challenges of managing such massive gatherings. The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, has also issued a statement about the same, making apologies to Messi, and calling out the ‘mismanagement’ at the stadium.
Messi virtually unveiled his 70-foot statue at the Sri Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata. Making the event even more special, we also saw Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, and Uruguayan footballer, Luis Suárez, present at the venue. This was a special moment for football fans in Kolkata, as it combined both sports and entertainment with the global icons coming together. A video of the statue’s unveiling, showing the interaction between Messi, Shah Rukh Khan, and his youngest son AbRam Khan, was later shared by PTI on X. The iron statue depicts Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy.
The installation of this statue at the Shree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, South Dum Dum, was done as a tribute to the Argentine legend. With Shah Rukh Khan and his son posing for photographs alongside Messi, the actor could be seen wearing a grey hoodie, muted coloured pants, and a black cap. He was also carrying a backpack while his son, AbRam Khan, was dressed in a black tracksuit. Regarding the unveiling, West Bengal Minister and Shree Bhumi Sporting Club president, Sujit Bose, said that “Lionel Messi and his team are happy with the statue installed in Lake Town.” Messi himself talked about the statue's inauguration, stating:
"It's a great pleasure for me to have done this inauguration today because I am very pleased with the support the people of Kolkata give to the national team and to me, and I feel great being here."
Watch the video here.
What are your thoughts on Messi's interactions with Bollywood star, Shah Rukh Khan?
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