Kolkata, Aug 16:Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated visit to India has received its final seal of approval with the Argentine superstar set to kick off his three-city tour in Kolkata on December 12, promoter of the event Satadru Dutta said on Friday.The day’s highlight will be the unveiling of Messi’s statue, followed by the ‘GOAT Concert’ and ‘GOAT Cup’ at either Eden Gardens or Salt Lake Stadium.
Another addition of the tour is the unveiling of his mural during the upcoming Durga Puja where fans can “post messages and draw something.”
“Not only will he unveil his biggest-ever statue, we will have a huge mural (dimensions of 25 feet height and 20 feet width) for him, which will be kept at strategic Durga Puja pandal-hopping locations so that all his fans will have an opportunity to paint and post messages in a nearby message box. That mural will be presented to Messi when he’s inside the stadium for the GOAT Concert,” Dutta said.
He added that two-three possible mural locations have been shortlisted and awaits police clearance.
Salt Lake Stadium is also under consideration as a backup venue for the Kolkata concert which is originally planned at Eden Gardens.
“We have pencilled in both venues, and the final confirmation will come within 15 days,” Dutta said.
The GOAT Cup at Eden Gardens will be a celebratory seven-a-side soft-touch football match, with Messi teaming up alongside Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham and Bhaichung Bhutia.
Organisers expect a sell-out crowd, with tickets likely to start from Rs 3,500. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to felicitate Messi during the programme.
Security will be the top priority, he said.
“The Kolkata Police Commissioner made it clear that I’m responsible for the arrangements and ensure that there are no security lapses. Messi’s team is also particular about this. It’s not just for him, but for every fan attending. He wants everyone to go with a happy memory and without any untoward incident,” Dutta stressed.