KOLKATA: If all the pieces fall in place, football devotees in Kolkata will have the first sighting of iconic Lionel Messi after a decade. The City of Joy will be the first stop in the Argentine’s whirlwind journey across Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, culminating in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sources privy to the development informed PTI that all arrangements have been finalised, including booking the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, an official confirmation from Messi is still awaited.
“It’s been finalised and we are waiting for an official announcement from Messi, maybe on his social media handle anytime soon,” said the source.
“As of now we have agreed on the proposed itinerary and we are just awaiting an official announcement from his social media, which would be in anytime soon,” the source added.
Kolkata leg: 70-ft statue, GOAT Cup with Ganguly
As per the itinerary, Messi will land in Kolkata on the night of December 12 around 10 pm and will stay for two days and one night — the longest stop on his tour.
The Argentina captain’s Kolkata schedule on December 13 will begin at 9 am with a meet-and-greet event, followed by the unveiling of a 70-feet statue of him at Lake Town Sribhumi on VIP Road.
Organisers claim this will be the first-ever and tallest statue of the World Cup winner anywhere in the world.
He will then head to Eden Gardens, where the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup will be held from 12 noon to 1:30 pm.
“I don’t want to mislead people. So basically, it will be a celebration of Messi — a masterclass with Messi,” said the source.
“He will play the GOAT Cup in a seven-a-side soft-ball, soft-touch game with Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham, Bhaichung Bhutia among others. It will be a celebration play in respect of Messi,” the source explained.
He hoped for a sellout crowd as it will be a fully ticketed event.
“This will be at Eden. It will be a ticketing event. Denominations are yet to be decided. It would be a little expensive — should not be less than Rs 3,500. Entire stadium will be open, so we can expect a full capacity of 68,000. For 1 hour 20 minutes Messi will be there with musical tribute, masterclass with kids,” he added.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to felicitate Messi during the Eden Gardens programme.