Lionel Messi will undertake a three-day tour in India to try to popularize football in the country. In Calcutta, a 21-meter statue has been erected in his honor.

The authorities in Calcutta have erected an impressive 21-meter statue in honor of Lionel Messi, who will spend three days in India as part of a tour. The statue, which depicts Messi lifting the World Cup trophy, dominates traffic in the Indian metropolis, known more for other sports than football. Monti Paul, the project coordinator, stated that this is the largest statue ever made by his team and represents a great pride.

Although Messi will not be able to attend the statue unveiling for security reasons, he will start the tour in Calcutta, continuing on to Hyderabad, Bombay, and New Delhi, where he will meet personalities such as Shah Rukh Khan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The enthusiasm for Messi in India is comparable to that for local cricket stars, despite the national football team's position in the FIFA rankings.