After leading Inter Miami to a historic victory in the Leagues Cup final, Messi is heading to India for a three-day "GOAT Tour," writes BBC.
Photo: Debajyoti Chakraborty/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo de Paul, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will unveil a statue of himself in Kolkata on Saturday.
It was created over 27 days by a team of 45 people and stands 70 feet tall.
The tour will begin in Kolkata at 10:30 AM local time (07:00 AM Minsk time) on Saturday, after which it will continue in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. The statue is just one part of India's tribute to the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward.
Photo: Debajyoti Chakraborty/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Fans will be able to visit the "Hola Messi" fan zone, which will feature a replica of Messi on a throne, a hall decorated with some of his trophies, and a reconstruction of his Miami home with mannequins of the player and his family sitting on the balcony.
"He (Lionel Messi) will be surprised to see what they have prepared for him," said Messi fan Shiladitya Banerjee. "He will be in shock seeing how he is revered in Kolkata and across India. I have tears in my eyes, but these are happy tears."
Messi, who has scored 787 goals in 963 club-level matches, was honored with a bronze statue in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2016.
Barcelona President Joan Laporta recently stated that they are "working" on a statue at Camp Nou.
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