Thousands braved the December chill and waited past midnight to give a rousing welcome to Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi as he arrived in Kolkata for his whirlwind three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025. The Barcelona legend's 2.26 am touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy. Gate 4 of the international arrivals turned into a roaring sea of chants, flags and flashing phones, with fans sprinting between gates for even a fleeting glimpse of their favourite sports star. VIDEO | West Bengal: Argentine footballer Lionel Messi arrived at Kolkata Airport accompanied by Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. (Source: Third Party) #LionelMessi (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7 ) pic.twitter.com/nNVfGvfpnX — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 12, 2025 Children perched on shoulders and drums rolled as Messi was whisked out through the VIP gate under massive security. #WATCH | West Bengal | Star footballer Lio...
Bollywood superstar and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan shared a heartfelt post for Andre Russell after the latter announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday. After 12 seasons as a player in 'purple and gold', Russell confirmed that he will join KKR's support staff as the franchise's new "Power Coach" for the 2026 season. He will also continue playing in T20 leagues around the world and will remain part of the other Knight Riders teams globally. Taking to social media after Russell's announcement, Shah Rukh Khan hailed the franchise legend for his contributions to KKR, adding that 'any other jersey would indeed look weird on him'. "Thank you for the wonderful memories, Andre. Our Knight in shining armour!!! Your contribution to @KKRiders is one for the books... and here's to another chapter in your fantastic journey as a sportsman... The power coach - passing down the wisdom, the muscle a...