Kolkata was swept by Messi fever as thousands gathered to welcome Argentine football icon Lionel Messi. Defying the December cold and staying out past midnight, fans turned up in huge numbers to cheer the superstar upon his arrival in the city for his whirlwind three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025.

The Barcelona legend’s 2.26 am touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy. Gate 4 of the international arrivals turned into a roaring sea of chants, flags and flashing phones, with fans sprinting between gates for even a fleeting glimpse of their favourite star, PTI reported.

Children perched on shoulders and drums rolled as Messi was whisked out through the VIP gate under massive security. A heavy convoy then escorted him to his hotel, where another huge crowd was waiting deep into the night.

Barricades, police deployment, and non-stop cheering completed a citywide eruption of “Messi mania.”

Messi arrived with long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul. Over the next 72 hours, he will zip across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, meeting chief ministers, corporate leaders, Bollywood celebrities and eventually Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

The Hyatt Regency lobby turned chaotic as fans sprinted across corridors shouting “Messi! Messi!” that echoed well past dawn.

Messi checked into Room 730, with the entire seventh floor sealed off to ensure no movement around his suite.

Security was tightened across the city ahead of Messi’s GOAT India Tour, with policemen at every crossing, sniffer dogs checking vehicles and heightened surveillance around the hotel.

What’s on the Itinerary?

Messi begins his GOAT India Tour on Saturday with a sponsors’ meet-and-greet before heading to the Salt Lake Stadium for a tribute programme featuring music, dance and an exhibition match between Mohun Bagan ‘Messi’ All Stars and Diamond Harbour ‘Messi’ All Stars.

He is scheduled to arrive at 10.50 am for interactions with both teams, a felicitation of Bengal’s Santosh Trophy-winning side and a “Master Class with Messi” for kids. Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul and Shah Rukh Khan will join the proceedings, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other dignitaries invited.

Messi will take a lap of honour before a virtual unveiling of his 70-foot statue at Lake Town. He will then depart for Hyderabad at 2.05 pm for the evening leg at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, featuring a short exhibition match, a five-minute appearance by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a football clinic and felicitation.

He then heads to Mumbai for his event at the Wankhede. The leg will also feature a 45-minute philanthropic fashion event with Suárez and De Paul, preceded by a Padel Cup at the CCI.

The tour ends in Delhi where Messi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Minerva Academy’s triple youth-trophy winners will be felicitated, followed by a nine-a-side celebrity match.

Kolkata’s tryst with footballers

Kolkata’s bond with football royalty dates back to 1977 when Pele’s New York Cosmos played a 2-2 draw against Mohun Bagan at Eden Gardens.

Pele returned in 2015 to greet the class of ’77, telling the crowd: “You can never have another Pele.”

Brazil’s Dunga, Bebeto and Mauro Silva, and Colombia’s René Higuita who showcased his scorpion-kick saves in 2012 all drew big turnouts. German great Oliver Kahn’s 2008 farewell match at Salt Lake Stadium pulled more than one lakh spectators.

But no one stirred the city like Diego Maradona, whose 2008 and 2017 visits saw near-unprecedented crowds line the streets and stadiums. Uruguay’s Diego Forlán, fresh from his Golden Ball win, received a similarly rousing welcome in 2010.

Then in 2011, Messi had visited the city captaining Argentina for the first time on foreign soil, leading them to a 1-0 win over Venezuela in an FIFA international friendly before a packed Salt Lake Stadium.