Lionel Messi will unveil a 21-metre (70-foot) statue of himself in India on Saturday as he begins a three-day visit that has caused huge excitement among fans.
The iron statue, located in Kolkata and showing Messi raising the World Cup, is part of his “GOAT Tour,” which will cover four Indian cities and may include a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Messi, 38, will reveal the monument virtually for security reasons.
A “Hola Messi” fan zone has also been created in Kolkata. It features a life-sized replica of Messi sitting on a throne and a recreation of his Miami home, including mannequins of his family members.
Local fan Samir Nandy said seeing Messi in India would be “a dream come true.”
“Legends are not made by success alone. It is his resilience that made me believe in him,” the 64-year-old said. “The statue is a fitting tribute.”
The main sculptor, Monti Paul, told AFP the statue took 40 days to build and is the tallest he has ever made.
During his visit, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will also meet Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
Ahead of his arrival, Messi said he was honoured to return to India.
“India is a very special country and I have good memories from my time there 14 years ago, the fans were fantastic,” he said. “I look forward to meeting a new generation of supporters.”
After Kolkata, where he will play a short friendly match, Messi will travel to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. In Hyderabad, he will attend a concert in his honour and play another friendly game. He is also expected to meet Modi in the capital.
Messi is visiting India days after winning his second straight MLS Most Valuable Player award. He led Inter Miami to the league title and finished the season as top scorer.
He will lead Argentina as they defend their World Cup title next year in North America.
