Argentina’s star footballer Lionel Messi’s India tour (GOAT India Tour 2025) will run from December 13 to 15.
SNPNEWS.IN News (Gurmail Kamboj): December 13, 2025 – Argentina’s star footballer Lionel Messi’s India tour (GOAT India Tour 2025) will run today (from December 13 to December 15). The star footballer’s journey began today in Kolkata. This is his second visit to India since 2011. He arrived in India with Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul.
Messi, upon arriving in Kolkata, first inaugurated a 70-foot tall statue (idol). After that, he attended a promotional event organised by A Satadru Dutta Initiative at Salt Lake Stadium (Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan).
This tour is packed with promotional events, meet-and-greet sessions, masterclasses, and celebrity meetings.In exchange for a glimpse of Messi, his fans were charged 5000-10000 rupees in the form of tickets by A Satadru Dutta Initiative. The promotional event included Messi meeting fans, a lap of honour, and other activities.
However, due to poor management, it could not be implemented properly. When Messi entered the field, political leaders, Bengal ministers (such as West Bengal Sports Minister Arup Biswas), celebrities, and VIPs surrounded him. As a result, fans did not even get a clear view of Messi.
Read It Also: Bengaluru’s 11 Dead, 33 Injured In Stampede, FIR & Arrests
According to the organisers, Messi was scheduled to stay at the stadium for 45-50 minutes, during which he was supposed to meet fans and take photos with some. But due to political celebrities and VIPs surrounding him, he left the stadium after only 15-20 minutes.
When spectators who had bought tickets worth 5000-10000 rupees were not shown even a glimpse of Messi, they became angry and, after Messi left, broke chairs, threw bottles, tore banners, and entered the field, forcing police to use mild force.
Most disappointed fans called it a “scam,” and the media condemned it, linking it to poor management and VIP culture. One fan said he had left his wedding ceremony to come but could not see anything.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologised to Messi and his fans, saying she herself was going to the event but the controversy happened.
The Chief Minister stated that an inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the arrangements. Governor C.V. Ananda Bose also condemned the poor management, demanded arrests, and later called it a “black day for Bengal.”
West Bengal Police DGP Rajeev Kumar and ADG Law and Order Javed Shamim confirmed the arrest of the main organiser of the event management firm A Satadru Dutta Initiative, Satadru Dutta, from Kolkata’s Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. After the arrest, Dutta gave a written promise to refund ticket money.
AIFF (All India Football Federation): Distancing itself from the event, it said this was a private PR agency’s program and they have no connection to it.
After the controversy in Kolkata, Lionel Messi’s second leg of the GOAT India Tour 2025 in Hyderabad was very good and successful. Messi, along with Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, arrived in Hyderabad around 4-4:30 pm, where a private meet-and-greet session was held at Falaknuma Palace.
At Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium (Uppal), Messi dribbled the ball with Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, participated in a penalty shootout, and scored a goal. At the stadium, Messi, Luis Suárez, and Rodrigo De Paul gave a football masterclass to 24 children (including poor children).
Messi waved to fans, took a lap of honour, and participated in the felicitation ceremony. Rahul Gandhi was also present on the occasion, to whom Messi gifted a signed jersey. Fans loved the event. The atmosphere here was joyful, with good arrangements and tight security ensuring everything ran smoothly. Fans expressed great happiness at getting a chance to see Messi’s skills and him up close. The Telangana government made the event splendid.
The next leg of this tour will be on December 14 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, featuring a charity fashion show and other programs, besides an event at Arun Jaitley Stadium on December 15, which includes a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.