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Argentine World Cup-winner Lionel Messi delighted fans in Mumbai with his appearance at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday during the GOAT India Tour 2025. Messi, alongside Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, was given a raucous reception at the hallowed stadium in the Maximum City, with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar in attendance.
Messi greeted legendary Indian striker Sunil Chhetri upon arrival and shared a warm hug with the peninsular nation’s top-goalscorer of all-time.
Messi also presented an Argentina jersey to Chhetri and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, who felicitated the World Cup-winner, and his teammates in tow, Suarez and De Paul, after his lap around the ground.
Messi, who arrived in Mumbai on Sunday morning, attended a meet-and-greet
with celebrities at the Cricket Club of India before heading to the Wankhede Stadium.
Mumbai transformed itself into a tribute to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Followers of the Argentine World Cup-winner painted the streets red, turning the iconic Marine Drive into a homage to the miracle man from Rosario. Fans adorned the famous Mumbai local trains with banners, scarves, and jerseys, celebrating the Argentine World Cup-winner.
After a chaotic start to the tour on Saturday morning at the Salt Lake Stadium, the Hyderabad leg in the evening helped calm the pandemonium in Kolkata. Messi appeared comfortable on the field, passing the ball around with teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, as Telangana CM Revanth Reddy also joined in.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner thrilled fans with a few touches before sending lucky spectators home with a memento by kicking a ball into the stands, where excited followers scrambled to catch it. Messi was honoured by Reddy and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following the exhibition game in Uppal.
After the event in Telangana, Messi flew to Mumbai for another exciting day. He was expected to participate in pick-up padel games and attend a celebrity match later in the evening.
Messi travelled to Hyderabad after a chaotic visit to Kolkata, where fans who had paid to see him were left disappointed. Politicians and organisers obstructed the Argentine superstar during his lap of honour at VYBK, preventing fans from getting a clear view of him. This led to security breaches and forced Messi to stop his lap of honour midway. Frustrated with the event’s organisation, fans began removing chairs and throwing various objects.
Messi arrived in Kolkata early on Saturday morning to great enthusiasm. Thousands of followers gathered at hotels, streets, and landmarks, hoping to catch a glimpse of the football icon. He unveiled a statue of his likeness at Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, South Dum Dum. The statue depicts the legend holding the FIFA World Cup trophy, commemorating his crowning achievement with Argentina in Qatar.
