Football superstar Lionel Messi met Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan and his son AbRam in Kolkata on Saturday as his much-awaited GOAT India Tour got underway, marking the Argentine legend’s first visit to India in more than a decade.
Visuals shared by news agency PTI showed Shah Rukh Khan and young AbRam posing with Messi at the venue ahead of the main programme. AbRam was also seen clicking pictures with the World Cup-winning footballer, drawing wide attention from fans.
Messi is scheduled to virtually unveil a 70-foot statue of himself from Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium later in the day. The event is being attended by West Bengal Minister Sujit Bose along with several prominent personalities from sports and entertainment.
Shah Rukh Khan arrived in the city earlier on Saturday with his son. His manager Pooja Dadlani was also spotted with them at the airport.
Earlier this week, Shah Rukh hinted at meeting Messi in Kolkata, saying on social media that he was looking forward to a day dedicated entirely to the football legend at the Salt Lake Stadium.
The GOAT India Tour marks Messi’s first trip to the country since 2011, when he played for Argentina in an international friendly at the same venue. Messi landed in Kolkata early Saturday and received a warm welcome from cheering fans at the airport.
The three-day tour will cover four cities, with Messi scheduled to travel to Hyderabad later on Saturday, followed by visits to Mumbai and New Delhi in the coming days.
