A warm welcome for Messi
Mumbai (Commonwealth Union)_ It was truly historic when Lionel Messi arrived in India for the 2025 GOAT India Tour. The Argentine legend returned to a nation where passion for football is strong and emotions frequently spill over after a 14-year absence. Fans flocked to stadiums, airports, hotels, and streets in large numbers, hoping to catch a sight of the player who is widely regarded as the greatest football player of all time. The three-day, four-city tour quickly became one of the most talked-about sporting visits India has witnessed in recent years.
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Messi’s Kolkata visit
Kolkata, often called the heart of Indian football, was the starting point of Messi’s journey. On December 13, he arrived after midnight and was welcomed by enthusiastic supporters outside the airport. At Salt Lake Stadium, one of the most famous stadiums in the city, there were many fan engagement and public appearance activities for Messi’s first public appearance. In the early hours of the first day of this event, fans were excited as the arena was buzzing with noise and emotion. But eventually, during the day, other problems regarding how to control large groups of people began occurring. Many fans experienced frustration, and many began to leave because they were not able to see Lionel Messi; this led to an increase in chaos. Many areas of the stadium were damaged, and due to this, the event was rescheduled to allow for repairs. Many fans expressed their disappointment when they learned that Messi would be leaving sooner than planned. Regardless of the large amount of chaos created by these problems, the love for him in the city was still apparent.
Messi’s Hyderabad visit
Messi moved south from Kolkata to Hyderabad when the mood shifted to one of happiness and community engagement. Here, football was the main focus. Messi participated in an exhilarating 7v7 exhibition match and led football lessons to inspire young players. The Hyderabad leg included a musical tribute that skillfully blended culture and athletics. The opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, visited Messi and received a special GOATED No. 10 shirt from the World Cup winner, garnering political attention as well. The conversation was polite, nonviolent, and exemplary of football’s growing impact off the field in India.
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Messi’s Mumbai visit
Mumbai welcomed Messi with glamour, energy, and tight security. He attended several events, such as the Padel Cup at the Cricket Club of India and a celebrity football session, which drew sizable crowds. Some of the tour’s most memorable moments were provided by the city. In a gesture that brought two sports worlds together, cricket star Sachin Tendulkar gave Messi an Indian jersey. Harbhajan Singh, a former cricket player, also met Messi and his family, exchanging photos and grins. Mumbai showed how sport, celebrity, and culture effortlessly come together in India.
Messi’s Delhi visit
The final leg of the tour took Messi to New Delhi. The capital had a lavish fan festival and a felicitation event. However, an earlier plan for him to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not happen because of the PM’s official travel obligations. To manage the massive attendance, traffic advisories were issued, and Indian football talent was encouraged. Authorities kept watchful and learned from prior mistakes to provide improved crowd management and security procedures for supporters who had waited months for this moment.
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Messi met Indian sports icons
One of the most significant moments of the tour was Messi’s interaction with Indian sports legends. These encounters, which ranged from Sunil Chhetri’s attendance at festivities to Sachin Tendulkar’s kind gesture in Mumbai, represented respect between world greats. It served as a reminder to young Indian athletes that sport transcends disciplines, boundaries, and languages.
Messi met Bollywood stars and political leaders
Bollywood’s presence added sparkle to the tour. Shah Rukh Khan visited Messi at his hotel with his son AbRam, who happily posed for photos with Messi, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo De Paul. Actors Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff were also seen greeting Messi on the field, while Kareena Kapoor Khan brought her sons Taimur and Jeh for a special meet-and-greet. Both children wore football jerseys, with Taimur proudly donning Messi’s name. These moments humanized the global icon, showing him at ease with families, children, and admirers from different walks of life.
Unveiling Messi’s largest statue
Back in Kolkata, a massive tribute stood tall. A 70-foot iron monument of Lionel Messi holding the World Cup trophy was revealed by the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club, which claims it is the biggest statue of Messi in the world. Due to security concerns, Messi had to inaugurate the statue remotely after it was completed in just 40 days. For supporters who saw Messi as more than just a football player, the moment held great emotional significance even when viewed from a distance.
Messi’s journey with Project Mahadeva
Throughout his visit to Sree Bhumi Sporting Club, Messi met children from the state-supported Project Mahadeva, which is a five-year grassroots football program aiming to identify and develop talent among 60 young boys and girls through scouting and scholarship. The children played games with Messi, including penalties, and laughed together with Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. When Suarez was nutmegged by a cheeky child during the friendly match, it indicated that the joy of football begins with having fun.
Messi visited Ambani’s Vantara
After the main tour, Messi extended his stay by a day to visit Vantara, a wildlife rescue and conservation center founded by Anant Ambani in Jamnagar. He participated in traditional rituals and interacted with rescued animals. In a touching gesture, a lion cub at the foster care center was named “Lionel” in his honor, marking a unique moment away from stadium lights.
Security arrangements and other events
After the incidents in Kolkata, the promoters and the police revised plans for the concerts in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. Enhancements to public safety through added security measures, traffic plans, and crowd management techniques allowed ticket holders a safer experience. These challenges indicate the enormous star status of Messi, as well as the need for a vast administrative effort to cope with that level of star status.
Messi’s gratitude to India
Following the conclusion of the tour, Messi posted a thank you letter on social media, thanking India for the love and support he received from fans, children, sports legends, and celebrities. The video featured a compilation of clips of his experiences with fans, children, sports legends, celebrities, and other important figures. He hopes that football will continue to grow and develop in India and praised the country’s hospitality. At the end of this passionate, chaotic, joyous, and exciting tour, he left India with a “Namaste India” as a final farewell, which he will always remember.
