Lionel Messi GOAT Tour Of India, LIVE Updates: Lionel Messi Meets Shah Rukh Khan, Unveils 70 Feet Statue In Kolkata

Speaking to news ANI, Sujit Bose said Messi and his team had given their consent for the statue and expressed their happiness after seeing it. He added that the club has been in constant touch with Messi's management and that further interaction with the footballer is expected.
"We have talked to his manager, and today we will talk to Messi. He gave his consent for the statue and they are also happy," Bose told ANI.
West Bengal Minister and Sree Bhumi Sporting Club President Sujit Bose on Saturday said that football icon Lionel Messi and his team are happy with the 70-foot statue installed at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata. Messi, who is in the city to kick off his GOAT Tour India 2025, is scheduled to virtually unveil the statue today.
The Sree Bhumi Sporting Club has completed the installation of a towering 70-foot iron statue in admiration of the Argentine football legend at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata. The statue portrays Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy, symbolising his historic World Cup triumph and has drawn significant attention from football fans across the city and beyond. The statue will be virtually unveiled by Messi himself, adding to the excitement surrounding his visit.
With Messi's arrival in India, excitement is at an all-time high, and fans have prepared for a grand celebration in the city. However, one female fan stood out with an unusual placard that grabbed everyone's attention.
"We have come here to see Messi. (About the placard) Yes, it was written by me. I got married last Friday, but my husband and I decided to postpone our honeymoon because Messi is coming to our city," she said. Read full story here
Messi will be in India for three days starting Saturday. On December 13 (Saturday), Messi will spend majority of the time in Kolkata before going to Hyderabad in the evening. For the Kolkata leg, this is the likely schedule:
9:30 am to 10:30 am: VIP meet-and-greet
10:30 am to 11:15 am: To inagurate 70 feet statue virtually
11:15 am: To leave For Yuva Bharati Krirangan. Shah Rukh Khan and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will arrive too
12 noon to 12:30 pm: Celebrity football match, felicitation
2 pm: To leave for Hyderabad