Lionel Messi has not yet set foot before the statue, but the message from his camp was clear: he is pleased.
In Kolkata, a city where football loyalty often runs deeper than club colours, a 70-foot iron statue of the Argentine star now towers over Lake Town. It shows Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy, a moment that sealed his place in sporting history. On Saturday, the statue was scheduled to be unveiled virtually by Messi himself, as part of his GOAT Tour India 2025.
Sujit Bose, West Bengal’s Minister for Fire and Emergency Services and president of the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club, said the footballer had given his approval after seeing images of the statue.
“We have spoken to his manager, and today we will speak to Messi directly,” Bose told ANI. “He gave his consent for the statue and they are happy with it.”
The statue, built in just 40 days, has drawn crowds even before its official unveiling. Supporters stopped to take photographs, some wearing Argentina jerseys, others draped in blue and white flags. For many in Kolkata, Messi is not just a player but a symbol of football’s global pull.
“This is a very big statue, 70 feet high,” Bose said earlier. “There is no other statue of Messi this large in the world. Kolkata has a lot of Messi fans.”
Messi arrived in the city early on Saturday morning, his first visit to India since 2011. That year, he played at the Salt Lake Stadium, where Argentina beat Venezuela 1–0 in a friendly match. Fourteen years on, the reception has been louder, warmer and more emotional.
Across parts of the city, fans gathered outside hotels and along key roads, hoping for a glimpse of the World Cup winner. The scenes reflected West Bengal’s long-standing love for football, shaped by generations of local derbies and global broadcasts watched late into the night.
The Sree Bhumi Sporting Club said it has remained in regular contact with Messi’s management team and expects further engagement during his stay. While the statue has been widely praised, officials stressed that it was built with the player’s consent and as a gesture of admiration, not excess.
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