Sports
Messi to unveil 21-metre statue of himself on India ‘GOAT’ tour
KOLKATA: Lionel Messi will unveil a 21-metre (70-foot) statue of himself in India on Saturday as he embarks on a three-day tour of the country that has sparked a fan frenzy.
The iron sculpture in Kolkata, which shows Messi holding aloft the World Cup, is part of a so-called GOAT Tour that will take in four Indian cities and a possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar will unveil the monument virtually rather than in person for security reasons.
A “Hola Messi” fan zone has also been set up in Kolkata where on display is a life-sized replica of Messi sat on a throne.
The hall also recreates his Miami home, complete with mannequins of his family members.
Football fan Samir Nandy said it would be “a dream come true” to catch a glimpse of his idol.
“Legends are not made by success alone. It is his resilience that made me believe in him,” Nandy, 64, said in Kolkata.
“The statue is a fitting tribute to him.”
Monty Paul, the statue’s main sculptor, told AFP the structure was built inside 40 days.
“It’s a matter of pride to build the sculpture of Messi. It’s the tallest statue I have made,” he said.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will also meet Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and former India cricket captain Saurav Ganguly during his whirlwind trip to Kolkata.
Ahead of his arrival, Messi said it was an honour to visit India and interact with the fans.
“India is a very special country and I have good memories from my time there 14 years ago — the fans were fantastic,” Messi said in an official statement.
“India is a passionate football nation and I look forward to meeting a new generation of fans while sharing the love I have for this beautiful game.”
After Kolkata, where Messi will play a short friendly match, he will head to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
In Hyderabad he will attend a concert in his honour and play another friendly.
He is reportedly scheduled to meet Modi in the capital.
Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award this week after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker will spearhead Argentina’s defence of the World Cup in June-July in North America.
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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch did his best to shut down the buzz around the theory that an electrical substation near Levi’s Stadium could be the catalyst for the spate of injuries that team has suffered over the last few years.
The theory popped up on social media during the 2025 season, though the 49ers have played at Levi’s Stadium since 2014 and used the practice facility that is also near the substation since 1989.
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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on Feb. 24, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
49ers star George Kittle said in February he didn’t believe the rumors were true, but also wanted a definitive answer.
Lynch provided one Sunday as NFL owners began to meet in Phoenix, Arizona. He said the organization had a scientist come to the facility to see if there was anything awry.
“It basically was a big nothing burger,” Lynch told reporters, via ESPN. “We’re in a safe place of work. … It’s a normal place of work. It’s a normal gym. We are safe, we’re healthy, and we feel really good about that.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) is carted off the field after an injury during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field on Jan. 11, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
“That was important to us, not just to turn a blind eye, but to look into it because it’s our players’ wellness. It’s not only our players’ wellness, it’s coaches, it’s staff, all that. And it’s encouraging.”
According to the 49ers, the scientist learned that players and staff were being exposed to an electromagnetic environment similar to that of a gym or average workplace.
Still, the injury bug is something that the 49ers will have to figure out as the seasons go on.
General Manager and President of Football Operations, John Lynch watches players work out during the school’s NFL football pro day, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Athens, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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San Francisco was 12-5 in 2025, but players like Kittle, Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall and Mykell Williams each missed several games with injuries.
For now, it appears the substation theory has been shut down.
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Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley used a segment about UConn Huskies star Alex Karaban to go on a political rant during CBS’ broadcast of March Madness on Sunday.
CBS featured Karaban in a piece about his family. His mother, Olga, came to Massachusetts from Ukraine with her parents and grandparents in 1996. His father, Alexei, immigrated to the U.S. from Belarus on a work visa in 2001.
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UConn forward Alex Karaban speaks during a press conference ahead of a game against Duke in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
After the segment aired, Barkley lamented the alleged treatment of legal immigrants.
“I want to be careful with my words right now because this is a really touchy subject for me,” he said. “I love that kid and his family, but the way some of these other immigrants are getting treated in our country right now is a travesty and a disgrace. I think there’s a difference between amazing immigrants and criminal immigrants. I think what’s going on in our country, what we’re doing to some of these amazing immigrants, is really unfortunate and it’s really sad.
“And that’s a great immigrant story. We have a lot of great immigrant stories out there that their stories need to be told, but some of the stuff that’s happening to immigrants in our country right now is really unfortunate, and it’s really unfair. But immigrants built this country, and we should admire them and respect them.”
Charles Barkley during a pro-am prior to Arnold Palmer Invitational at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge on March 4, 2026, in Orlando, Florida. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour via Getty Images)
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Barkley didn’t cite any example of legal immigrants being treated poorly in the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has routinely announced arrests of criminal illegal immigrants who have been accused of heinous crimes in the U.S.
Still, DHS and agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) routinely come under fire for their tactics in arresting illegal immigrants.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani offered fresh criticism of ICE ahead of a “No Kings” rally.
“We’re making clear that no one is above the law in this city, that everyone has to follow the rule of law,” Mamdani said. “I have made clear to the president, both in our private conversations and our public conversations, about the fact that I believe that ICE is a rogue agency.”
Protesters hold up a “Stop ICE” sign after being removed from the building by police during a bill-signing event with Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
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Mamdani added that he believes ICE is “reckless” and “delivers nothing toward the furthering of the cause of public safety.”
Fox News’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
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LSU Tigers infielder Seth Dardar made the most of his clutch home run in the eighth inning against the Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday.
Dardar was at the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning with the Tigers down two runs. LSU had two men on base when he stepped up to the plate.
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Seth Dardar #24 of the LSU Tigers celebrates against the Milwaukee Panthers at Alex Box Stadium on Feb. 13, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (LSU Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)
He clobbered a home run to right field to give LSU an 11-10 lead at the time. As he knew he got all of it, Dardar flipped his bat high into the air to put the exclamation point on the dinger.
LSU was down 7-0 going into the bottom of the third inning before they went on the comeback trail. The Tigers got the deficit down to within one run before Kentucky added three more runs in the fifth inning.
But after Dardar’s homer, LSU’s bullpen buckled down and didn’t give up any more runs.
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Seth Dardar swings as the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns b the LSU eat Tigers 7-2 at M.L. Tigue Moore Field in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
LSU won the game, 17-10, and took the series against Kentucky.
“Even down 7-0, our players were confident they were going to come back in this game,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said after the game, via the school’s website. “I’m very proud of the way they competed; they gave their all throughout the game and earned a great victory.”
Dardar, who played at Kansas State and Columbia before transferring to LSU for the 2026 season, was 3-for-5 with a double, home run and four RBI.
Seth Dardar #24 of the LSU Tigers in action against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Alex Box Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Mitchell Scaglione/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
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LSU improved to 19-10 on the season and 4-5 against SEC opponents. Kentucky fell to 21-6 and 5-4 in the SEC.
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