For the first time since 2011, India welcomes Lionel Messi. Details of the visit

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has announced details of his upcoming visit to India next December, revealing his schedule and the activities he will attend as part of a special charity campaign to support youth and children.

Messi will visit India on a solo basis, outside of his commitments with the Argentine national team or his club, Inter Miami, and will visit after the end of the US football season.

The visit will be sponsored by a major foundation that has chosen the Argentine star to represent it at this special event in three Indian cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, and Calcutta, where sporting and cultural activities will be organized.

Lionel Messi announced this via an official post on his Instagram account, writing: “It is a great honor for me to take this trip. India is a very special country, and I have fond memories of my time there 14 years ago. The fans were amazing. India is a country that loves football, and I look forward to meeting a new generation of fans and sharing my passion for this beautiful sport.”

During his tour of India, Lionel Messi will attend concerts, friendly sessions, food festivals, football masterclasses, and a padel exhibition at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

In addition, Messi will attend an event at Salt Lake Stadium when he arrives in India in the middle of the last month of the year.

Organizers also plan to unveil a 25-foot mural during Durga Puja celebrations, along with the inauguration of the largest Messi statue ever.

Ticket prices for the event are expected to start from Rs 3,500.

It's worth noting that this will be Messi's first visit to India since 2011, when he led Argentina in a friendly against Venezuela at Salt Lake City Stadium.