The GOAT Returns: Lionel Messi to Tour India and Meet Prime Minister

In a remarkable event for Indian football, Lionel Messi is set to return to India for a multi-city tour later in 2025. Event promoter Satadru Dutta revealed that the Argentine football icon will visit three major cities: Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. The tour, branded the ‘GOAT Tour of India 2025’, will start in Kolkata on December 12, 2025, and conclude with a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 15. Messi last played in India in 2011 during a FIFA friendly match in Kolkata. Dutta outlined the process of organizing the tour, highlighting the importance of a meeting with Messi and his father earlier in the year. The tour will feature a meet-and-greet in Kolkata at the Taj Bengal, along with a unique tea blending experience that combines Argentine mate and Indian Assam tea. In addition to these events, Messi will hold masterclasses in each city to mentor young footballers, sharing his knowledge and inspiring them. While the full list of accompanying players remains undisclosed, there is expectation that some of Messi’s teammates from Inter Miami will join him. This tour is set to be a grand celebration of Messi’s career and his impact on the sport, contributing to the promotion and growth of football in India.