As Argentine football sensation Lionel Messi landed in Kolkata for his fast-paced three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025, thousands of people braved the December cold and waited beyond midnight to offer him a rousing welcome.
The city went into a frenzy after the Barcelona legend’s touchdown in the early hours of Saturday at 2.26 am.
Fans rushed between gates in search of even a brief glimpse of their favorite sports hero, turning Gate 4 of the international arrivals into a thunderous sea of cries, flags, and flashing phones.
As Messi was escorted out via the VIP entrance under intense security, kids sat on shoulders and drums rolled.
Messi was subsequently escorted to his hotel by a large convoy, where a second large group of people waited late into the night.
Police deployment, barricades, and unrelenting applause culminated in a citywide outburst of “Messi mania.” Messi landed with Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul and longtime attack partner Luis Suárez.
Messi will travel quickly through Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi over the course of the next 72 hours, meeting Bollywood stars, chief ministers, business executives, and, on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
