The moment every footfall fan waited for is here. Legendary football star Lionel Messi is in Kolkata. On Saturday, Messi virtually unveiled his 70-foot-tall statue in the city. He is visiting Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi for his G.O.A.T. India Tour.
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was present at the event. He was with his son AbRam Khan.
Lionel Messi meets Shah Rukh Khan, AbRam
In a video from the event, Shah Rukh Khan and AbRam Khan are seen arriving at the event to meet Messi. The actor's manager, Pooja Dadlani and her daughter were also spotted along.
Amid tight security, Khan and Messi greet each other. They shake hands after AbRam briefly interacts with the star player. Messi also clicks pictures with AbRam.
Messi arrived with his long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul.
TMC Minister Sujit Bose was also present. He told ANI that Messi and his team had given their consent to the statue. He also said that they were happy with it.
"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...," Sujit Bose told the news agency.
All about Lionel Messi's statue in Kolkata
Messi's gigantic 70-foot iron statue has been installed at Sree Bhumi Sporting Club as a tribute to the Argentine football legend. The statue depicts Messi holding the iconic FIFA World Cup trophy. It is situated in Lake Town, South Dum Dum.
The statue was completed in just 40 days before Messi's arrival in Kolkata.
Bose previously told ANI, "We built this statue in 40 days. This is a very big statue, 70 feet in height. There is no other statue of Messi this big in the world. Messi is coming to Kolkata, and there are a lot of fans of Messi."
Lionel Messi's India Tour marks his return to the country after 14 years. He visited India last in 2011.
During his previous visit, he played a friendly match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, where Argentina defeated Venezuela.
Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata
Earlier on Saturday, Shah Rukh Khan and his son were snapped arriving at Kolkata for the event.
Khan had posted on X, "This time round not planning my Knight in Kolkata… and hoping the day ride is completely ‘Messi’. See you guys on the 13th at the Salt Lake Stadium.”
