Mumbai: Two sports. Two icons. Two men who transcended their games to become living legends.
On a magical evening at Wankhede Stadium, Lionel Messi and Sachin Tendulkar came together to create a moment that will live forever — in photographs, in videos, and in the hearts of millions of fans who witnessed history unfold in the city of dreams.
It was Day 2 of Messi’s ‘GOAT Tour’ of India, and as the sun dipped behind Marine Drive, Wankhede prepared itself for something far greater than a sporting event. By around 7 PM, the chants echoed from every stand — not divided by loyalty, but united in reverence.
“Messi… Messi… Sachin… Sachin.”
Two names. Two religions of sport. One thunderous roar.
VIDEO | Maharashtra: Amid loud cheers, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar gifts Argentine football icon Lionel Messi the 2011 World Cup jersey, calling it a golden moment for Mumbai and India.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 14, 2025
(Source: Third Party)
(Full VIDEO available on PTI Videos –… pic.twitter.com/GKIqReBoqa
A Sacred Exchange Between Legends
Then came the moment the packed stadium had been waiting for.
Lionel Messi walked onto the same hallowed turf where India’s 2011 World Cup dream once soared. Waiting for him was Sachin Tendulkar — the boy who became God, the man who carried a nation’s hopes for over three decades.
Cricket’s GOAT met football’s GOAT.
There was a pause — heavy, emotional, almost sacred — as the two iconic No. 10s stood side by side. Smiling with his trademark calm, Sachin handed Messi something far more meaningful than a jersey: his 2011 ICC World Cup-winning India shirt, a piece of Indian sporting history.
Messi received it with visible reverence, fully aware of its weight and legacy.
In return, the Argentine maestro gifted Sachin the official 2026 FIFA World Cup ball — a symbol of football’s future exchanged for cricket’s greatest past.
The stadium erupted once again.
Messi’s Magic Lights Up Wankhede
Earlier in the evening, Messi had already cast his spell on the Mumbai crowd. He kicked footballs into the stands — not forgetting fans in the upper tiers — converted an exhibition penalty, and shared light-hearted moments during a rondo session with young girls, alongside Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul.
Young football aspirants from Maharashtra received certificates, knowing they had shared a pitch with immortals.
Messi also inaugurated Project ‘Maha-Deva’, a Maharashtra government initiative aimed at scouting and nurturing young football talent through FIFA-accredited academies across the state.
Gratitude, Not Just Celebration
But as special as those moments were, the evening ultimately belonged to the two No. 10s.
When Sachin and Messi stood together under the Wankhede lights, the deafening noise felt less like celebration and more like gratitude — for the goals, the centuries, the comebacks, and the magic that defined generations.
Gratitude for having lived in an era where dreams wore No. 10.