Hyderabad, Nov 28 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday said he is looking forward to welcoming Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi to the ‘GOAT Tour to India 2025’ next month.
In a post on ‘X’, Reddy said, “I look forward to welcoming and hosting G.O.A.T. Lionel Messi in Hyderabad on December 13. It is an exciting moment for our city and for every football fan who has dreamt of seeing a legend like you on our soil.” “Hyderabad is ready to host him with warmth, pride and the spirit that defines our people,” he added.
The World Cup-winning captain will be in Hyderabad after the Kolkata leg, the first of his tour.
He will then proceed to Mumbai and New Delhi, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The decision to add Hyderabad came in the wake of the cancellation of Argentina’s proposed friendly in Kochi, which had been originally announced by Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman for November 17.
The revised plan ensured that Messi’s ‘GOAT Tour’ would span all the four corners of India—east (Kolkata), south (Hyderabad), west (Mumbai) and north (New Delhi).
Satadru Dutta, the sole organiser of the ‘GOAT Tour to India 2025’, had told PTI that Messi’s event in Hyderabad will be held either at Gachibowli or Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium The GOAT Tour, conceptualised by Dutta, will feature a mix of celebrity football matches, musical events, meet-and-greet sessions, masterclasses for children and felicitation ceremonies across four cities.
Messi will start his tour in Kolkata on December 13, followed by Hyderabad the same evening, before travelling to Mumbai on December 14 and concluding in New Delhi on December 15. PTI SJR SSK
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