GOAT tour: Giant statue of Messi in Kolkata to remain legacy of visit

A replica of London's famous Big Ben clock tower is a familiar sight for anyone in Kolkata on their way to or back from the airport. After Saturday, a 50-feet statue of Lionel Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy will have pride of place next to it in the city's Lake Town area, after a virtual inauguration by the global football icon during his visit to the city.

The 'City of Joy', where football fans have historically been split into Argentina and Brazil camps, is warming up to the GOAT Tour of India – which will kick off its Kolkata leg with the unveiling of the statue and a meet-and-greet session with the man they call the 'God of football'. While it’s going to be a whistlestop visit on Saturday morning before Messi and his entourage jet off to next stop Hyderabad, the statue will remain as a legacy of his visit.

Sneak previews of the gigantic statue, estimated at 70 feet including the plinth, have been circulating in the media since Tuesday. It looks very much a work in progress, with scaffolding still surrounding the structure as artist Monti Paul describes it as a ‘’50-foot statue (70 including plinth) crafted in 27 days by a 45-member crew’’.

Speaking to local media, the artist’s team said with the core structure complete, the remaining steps include “smoothing, cleaning, and final inspections” before the unveiling. ‘’We have four more hours of work left today and we will be done. Passersby can see it , but the face will be covered until 13 December in all probability,’’ they said.

The curiosity value of the event, which in effect is a Messi-darshan for fans, has been whetted from time to time by the organisers. There will be a celebrity football match between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Diamond Harbour FC, in which Messi is expected to be introduced to players of both teams while the guest list comprises chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the city’s best known sporting icons — Sourav Ganguly and Leander Paes, both avid football fans.

Now 38 and fresh from steering his club Inter Miami to its maiden MLS (Major League Soccer) Cup in the US last weekend, Messi is unlikely to be a part of any serious football activity, barring a few tips to groups of trainees in the four cities he will visit. The price tag for tickets starts at Rs 4,000, with VVIP tickets priced at Rs 25,000, which is steep for what’s on offer, but Messi worshippers don’t seem to mind.

A visit to gate no. 4 of Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday, 10 December showed long queues for redemption of online vouchers for tickets, while sales of Messi’s no.10 jerseys — both in Argentine as well as Inter Miami colours — went on sale.

“I am a Messi fan. He is God. This is a lifetime achievement for me. My parents know how important Messi is in my life, so they helped me with the money,’’ a student said. ‘’Mind you, he’s not finished yet and will play the World Cup again in six months. Hence, it's worth the trouble."