Football fans at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium were overwhelmed with emotion on Saturday evening as they witnessed global football icon Lionel Messi up close during his GOAT Tour of India.
Messi arrived at the venue just before 8 pm IST, accompanied by fellow Argentine stars Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. The trio initially watched an exhibition match from the sidelines, which was organised as part of the three-day India tour celebrating Messi’s football legacy.
✨𝐀𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 ✨
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 13, 2025
Football's Greatest Of All Time Lionel Messi in Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/5z5gXCKbG9
Moments later, the Argentine great stepped onto the ground and shared the pitch with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, exchanging passes and delighting tens of thousands of cheering fans. In a gesture that sent the stadium into a frenzy, Messi kicked several footballs into the stands, drawing thunderous applause and chants from the crowd.
Earlier in the day, excitement around Messi’s visit continued to build as graffiti featuring the football legend was unveiled on a building in Mumbai ahead of his arrival in the city.
After successful stops in Kolkata and Hyderabad, Messi is scheduled to reach Mumbai on Sunday, with New Delhi set to be the final leg of his India tour on Monday.
In September, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had confirmed Messi’s visit to India, marking his first trip to the country since 2011, when he played for Argentina in a friendly match against Venezuela in Kolkata.
As part of the current tour, the Maharashtra Sports Department will select under-14 footballers from across the state, giving them a rare opportunity to train with Messi on December 14, an initiative aimed at inspiring young talent.
Kolkata Event Marred by Chaos
The celebratory mood in Hyderabad stood in sharp contrast to events earlier in the day in Kolkata, where Messi’s appearance at Salt Lake Stadium descended into chaos. Fans grew angry after the Argentine star left the venue earlier than scheduled, allegedly due to crowd mismanagement.
Many spectators accused politicians and VIPs — including West Bengal Sports Minister Arup Biswas — of monopolising Messi’s attention, preventing paying fans from getting a clear view of the football legend.
The situation escalated as enraged fans, some of whom had paid hefty sums for tickets, began throwing water bottles and chairs from the stands. Portions of the crowd reportedly entered the field and attempted to vandalise a tent and a goalpost before security intervened.