Lionel Messi's Memorable India Tour: A Celebration of Football and Cricket
Messi's Grand Finale in India
In New Delhi, the iconic Argentine footballer Lionel Messi received tickets for the India vs USA Men's T20 World Cup 2026 from ICC chairman Jay Shah during the concluding segment of his GOAT India Tour at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The event was also graced by Delhi's chief minister Rekha Gupta and DDCA president Rohan Jaitley. Messi was presented with a framed cricket bat and a Team India jersey, alongside his fellow players Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez.
Aditi Chauhan, a former Indian goalkeeper who played for West Ham United in the Women's Premier League, also contributed by gifting signed t-shirts to Messi and his companions.
Expressing his gratitude to the enthusiastic crowd at the stadium, Messi remarked, “Thank you for all the affection you have shown us here in India over these days. Truly, it was a unique experience for us to be able to share this. Although it was intense and very short, it was wonderful to receive all this love, which I already knew was there, but experiencing it firsthand was incredible. Everything you did for us over these days was astonishing, pure madness. So thank you all for the love, and we will surely return someday, perhaps to play a match or on some other occasion, but we will definitely visit again. Thank you very much, thank you.”
Messi's arrival in the capital was delayed due to foggy weather, but he quickly made his way to the Leela Palace Hotel for a meet-and-greet session with a select group of fans.
The GOAT Tour faced challenges at the Salt Lake Stadium, where the organizers struggled to manage the overwhelming crowd eager to see Messi, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo de Paul, leading to a frustrating experience for many fans.
After arriving in Telangana, Messi engaged in various photo opportunities, including playing football with children and interacting with officials.
During his stay, Messi made a brief appearance on the stadium's big screen and waved to fans while inside a VIP box at Uppal Stadium during a match.