When word spread a few weeks ago that Lionel Messi would touch down in India, a familiar ripple of anticipation swept across the country. Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, where the Argentine captain is expected to arrive on December 13 at 10:30 a.m., is already bracing for crowds eager to witness football royalty in the flesh. Yet amid the buzz, another announcement has caught fans entirely off-guard, and not in a way they expected.
After wrapping up his Kolkata leg, the 2022 FIFA World Cup champion will make his way to Hyderabad, but the dream moment for fans comes at an eye-watering cost. According to reports, the organisers of The GOAT India Tour have fixed the price of a single photograph with the Argentine legend at Rs 9.95 lakh plus GST, limiting
the experience to just 100 exclusive slots. The high-end meet-and-greet is set to take place at the iconic Falaknuma Palace, with bookings now open on the District app.
For many, this is the closest they will ever get to a moment with their sporting hero. For others, it’s an opportunity that feels firmly out of reach.
Football Fans React To Lionel Messi Rs 10 Lakh Selfie
The internet wasted no time in turning the Messi photo fee into a full-blown comedy festival. Timelines were overflowing with sarcasm, budget breakdowns and existential questions about the value of a selfie.
One user broke it down like a cost-cutting masterclass, suggesting “alternatives” that somehow sounded far more practical than spending nearly Rs 10 lakh. The user wrote, “Ask Nano Banana Pro to generate a nice selfie of you with Messi. Costs almost nothing,” followed by the option to “go to Argentina, take a photo and come back. Costs almost half.”
There are 3 alternatives:
1. Ask Nano Banana Pro to generate a nice selfie of you with Messi. Costs almost nothing.
2. Go to Argentina. Take a photo and come back. Costs almost half.
3. Wait for Ronaldo. Spend this money to take a selfie with him.
— Swapna Kumar Panda (@swapnakpanda) December 11, 2025
Another decided to approach the situation like a budding entrepreneur. “I will get an autograph on an RCB T-shirt and auction it,” they wrote, turning the eye-watering fee into a potential investment strategy.
I will get an autograph on RCB tshirt and auction it.
— Aaliya
One user sought a full multiplayer experience with that amount, stating, “10 lakhs for a handshake and photo? For that price, Messi should come home and play FIFA with me.”
10 lakhs for a handshake and photo? bro, for that price messi should come home and play fifa with me
Others found themselves battling their own bank accounts. As one user said, “9.95 lakh for a photo with Messi? At this point, even my bank app got emotional and force closed itself.”
9.95 lakh for a photo with Messi?
Bro at this point, even my bank app got emotional and force closed itself.For that price he should at least dribble past my landlord and negotiate my rent too
And, of course, no Messi conversation on the internet is complete without a cheeky dig at Cristiano Ronaldo. One user summed it up perfectly: “Ronaldo fans finally winning something, saving money.”
Lionel Messi’s India Tour
Messi’s visit is part of his much-publicised GOAT Tour, which will see him travel across four Indian cities: —Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad. Each stop is expected to draw thousands of fans, many of whom have grown up idolising him and have only ever watched him on screen.
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