Lionel Messi, the world football icon, is happy with the 70-feet statue installed at the Sree Bhumi Sports Club in Lake Town, Kolkata, said West Bengal Minister and Sree Bhumi Sports Club President Sujit Bose.
Messi, who is in the city to launch his GOAT Tour India 2025, is set to virtually unveil the statue on Saturday.
About the 70-foot tall statue of Lionel Messi
A 70 feet tall iron statue has been installed at Sree Bhumi Sports Club in South Dum Dum, Kolkata’s Lake Town to admire the Argentine football legend.
The statue depicts Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy, symbolizing his historic World Cup triumph, and has attracted significant attention from football fans across the city and beyond.
“He gave his consent”: Sujit Bose on the statue
Sujit Bose told news agency ANI that Lionel Messi and his team have given their approval for the statue and were happy to see it. He said the club is in constant contact with Messi’s management and further interaction with the footballer is expected.
“We have spoken to his manager and today we will speak to Messi… He has given his approval for the statue and they are also happy…” he told ANI
The West Bengal minister had earlier highlighted that the massive construction was completed in a record time of just 40 days. “This is a very big statue, 70 feet tall. No other Messi statue in the world is that big,” he told ANI.
Lionel Messi arrived in the City of Joy early Saturday morning and created a lot of excitement among football enthusiasts. Thousands of fans gathered at various locations hoping to catch a glimpse of the world’s soccer superstar.
The atmosphere across parts of Kolkata reflected the deep-rooted passion for football in the state and the immense popularity Messi enjoys among Indian fans.
This is Messi’s first visit to India since 2011. During his previous visit, the legendary footballer played a friendly match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata where Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0.
His return after 14 years created huge excitement among football fans who were preparing for a grand celebration to welcome back the global icon.
