New Delhi

Argentine football legend and FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi arrived in the national capital on Monday, marking the final leg of his ongoing “GOAT India Tour 2025.”

Messi reached New Delhi amid tight security arrangements after a successful and star-studded event in Mumbai on December 14.

Chants of “Messi, Messi” echoed outside the venue as enthusiastic fans gathered holding posters and banners of the Argentine icon. The Delhi stop followed Messi’s visits to Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai. While the Kolkata leg witnessed organisational chaos, events in Hyderabad and Mumbai were conducted smoothly.

Speaking to ANI outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Messi fan Saurab Aggarwal expressed his excitement after months of anticipation.

“Very excited to be here. We were planning this day for the last three to four months. Messi last visited India in 2011, and since then we’ve been waiting for nearly a decade to see him again,” he said.

Another fan described the moment as a dream come true, saying, “It was my childhood dream to see Messi. It feels like we are about to see God.”

Earlier in Mumbai, Messi, along with fellow footballers Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, enthralled fans at the Wankhede Stadium. The event began on an energetic note with DJ Chetas playing popular tracks alongside vibrant cultural dance performances.

The evening also featured a friendly football match between Indian Stars—including Tiger Shroff, Jim Sarbh and footballer Bala Devi—and the Mitra Stars, led by Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri and his Bengaluru FC teammates.

Messi shared warm moments with Chhetri, kicked footballs into the stands for fans and presented him with a signed Argentina jersey. He was later felicitated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who presented him with a memento.

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The event concluded on a historic note when former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar presented Messi with a Team India jersey, followed by memorable photographs featuring Tendulkar, Fadnavis, Messi and his teammates.