Lionel Messi’s arrival in India is a historic moment for the country’s sporting landscape, but it was not so easy for the man behind it, Satadru Dutta.
Lionel Messi is coming to India. Yes, it is happening. The four-city tour was confirmed a few weeks ago, meaning Messi will make his much-anticipated appearance next month. Argentina, whose 2022 World Cup triumph has cemented its status as the GOAT, has brought a big boost to Indian football, inspiring young talent in a country that, strangely enough, continues to find its feet. Messi’s first visit to India dates back to 2011, when he captained Argentina in a friendly against Venezuela in Kolkata. At that time, he had already achieved legendary status and was on his way to becoming the greatest of all time. Now, he has returned to the country to express his gratitude to his fans.
India may not be a football superpower, but the passion for the game is undeniable. When Messi finally won the trophy he yearned for, fans across the country took to the streets to celebrate the fulfillment of his dream. The huge fan clubs of teams like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United show that football is second only to cricket in India.
Messi’s arrival in India is a historic moment for the country’s sporting landscape, but it was not so easy for Satadru Dutta, who made it possible. Through his company, A Satadru Dutta Initiative, he is leading the project. Dutta’s track record as a sports promoter and global event organizer is impressive, having previously brought football icons such as Pele, Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho to Indian shores.
In a detailed conversation with The Hindustan Times, Dutta shared that watching Messi lift the 2022 World Cup from the stands inspired him to bring the legend to India. His first move was to invite Emiliano Martínez, whose heroics in Qatar were unforgettable. He then reached out to another close friend, Ronaldinho, hoping his involvement would help lay the groundwork for the big move and strengthen the case for Messi’s move.
“Look, I went to the 2022 World Cup final. I was in the stadium when Argentina won. That’s when I decided that someday Messi should come here – or at least I should try to do so. But my first target was Emiliano Martínez because I thought he played a key role in Argentina winning the World Cup,” he said.
“So I focused on getting Martínez, and by the grace of God, I managed to get him here within five months, even though I had given myself six months. The plan was always to build towards Messi. I then asked myself, ‘Who is the closest person to Messi?’ After Martínez was Ronaldinho. So within three months of Martínez leaving, I targeted Ronaldinho – and got him. So basically, I brought in the two people closest to Messi. I told him, ‘Give Messi a good review of this place.’ The ultimate dream is to bring Messi.”
Dutta recalled the long and determined journey to bring Messi to India. He said the next step was to pay tribute during Durga Puja, which ultimately created an opportunity to contact Messi’s family. He explained that that relationship paved the way for talks with George Messi about achieving the India dream.
“During Durga Puja, I built a huge statue of Messi as a tribute to the World Cup win. It all became part of the build-up, and eventually I got a connection that allowed me to meet his father, Jorge Messi. I told him this was our dream – that India deserves at least one Messi appearance because he holds a god-like status here. He is more popular than many cricketers in this country. Messi has an extremely busy schedule and he has never had such a personal experience,” Jorge said. Didn’t attend. But because my references were strong and the work I did was credible, he said the final decision rested with Leo, and then it was up to him.
He revealed how months of persistence and ground work finally opened the door to bringing Lionel Messi to India. After about eight months of planning and preparation, he got the opportunity to meet Messi, share his vision, and that meeting became the turning point that set everything in motion.
“So after eight months, I finally got the chance to meet Leo. I had done my homework, made good progress, and shared my entire plan with him. In February 2025, I met him in person, and that’s when everything truly started. The first thing he said was, ‘I’ll go. For the rest, talk to my dad.’ I showed him everything I’d worked on – especially the monument – and it became a game changer. After that, we finalized the financial details and he agreed to come this October,” said Dutta.
“I’ve been following him for two and a half years, but in life you need persistence. It’s not easy to reach these global icons, especially Messi, because he has no attachment to money. So money was not the deciding factor; it was the build-up and the work I have done over the last 14 years.”
“A Ronaldo fan is bringing Messi to India”
Dutta also expressed his admiration for Messi’s long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, admitting that he is a big fan of the Portuguese star. He revealed that he almost brought the former Real Madrid forward to India in 2020, before Covid-19 derailed the plans. But after Messi’s World Cup victory, he refocused and focused on bringing the Argentine legend to the first place.
“The duality is that I’m really a Ronaldo fan, but a Messi fan. In 2020, I was ready to bring in Ronaldo. Everything was decided and then Covid happened, which delayed everything. But after that, Messi reached another level. Winning the World Cup is the ultimate achievement, so I felt it was the right time to target Messi. A fan of Ronaldo is bringing in Messi – it’s quite unique,”
“Messi is football. But for me, it’s not just about being a fan; it’s about admiration. Anyone who loves the game has to admire him. In my life, I’ve always believed that you should respect achievers. It’s not just about liking someone; it’s about recognizing the right person. Ronaldo, in his own way, is an inspiration. And Messi… to be honest… he completes football.”
Elaborating on the outline of Messi’s tour, he shared that the format will remain the same in all four cities – Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. Dutta also confirmed that Messi’s teammates Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez will be part of the tour and will accompany him throughout.
“No, it’s the same pattern in all four cities. It’s basically celebrating Messi: a little bit of fun time with the kids, a little bit of guidance, a little bit of a masterclass with Messi, where Messi shares a little bit of his knowledge with the kids. That’s it. That’s how it should be. Rodri De Paul and Suarez. They’ll be there for the whole tour, in all four cities,” he said.
The price of tickets for the much-awaited tour is so high 82,600, and social media was abuzz with claims that top tier pass holders would get a chance to meet Messi. Dutta dismissed the speculation, making it clear that no such access would be possible.
“Those online rumors are absolutely false. There’s no truth to it. Nowadays, social media, you know, even a goat can play football on there. It will be very personal. My job is to show the fans something about Messi with the ball, with the kids. It’s a celebration of Messi. I don’t want to missell it that he’ll ‘play football’ this and that, but whatever knowledge he has about football he’ll share with the kids. That’s the thing, and it’s for everyone.” There is an opportunity for that,” he added.
He also dismissed rumors that Messi planned to play cricket during the tour, but without naming any names he hinted that a number of big names would be on hand to watch the Argentine superstar.
He said, “The news of him playing cricket is nonsense. Big personalities will be there because now Messi is there.”
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