Kolkata woke up to unfiltered Messi mania on December 13 as Lionel Messi began his GOAT India Tour at the Salt Lake Stadium, a day after his late-night arrival sent the city into raptures. Even past midnight, thousands gathered at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, chanting “oke bhalobasi”(I love him) and “mohabbat hai,” waving Argentina flags and jerseys in a celebration that felt more like a festival than an arrival.

Fans braved the December chill for hours since 3 a.m., many dressed in full Argentina kits, wigs and face paint, calling the moment a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage. For Kolkata’s football faithful, Messi’s return after 14 years carried deep emotional weight, turning patience and exhaustion into collective joy.

Among the most striking reactions was that of a

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