Liputan6.com, Jakarta - World football superstar Lionel Messi recently completed his three-day 'GOAT India Tour 2025,' which ran from December 13th to 15th, 2025.
This visit marked Messi's second visit to India in 14 years, following a friendly match in Kolkata in 2011.
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Alongside his old teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, Messi toured four major cities: Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.
The tour included public appearances, cultural events, celebrity football exhibitions, youth football clinics, and charity initiatives.
While the tour was a success overall and met with tremendous enthusiasm, one incident marred the start of Messi's journey in India.
The tour, led by Indian sports promoter Satadru Dutta, through his company A Satadru Dutta Initiative, attracted millions of viewers.
A Dramatic Tour Start in Kolkata
Lionel Messi's visit to Kolkata on December 13, 2025, began with unexpected chaos.
Messi arrived in the city early in the morning and was scheduled for a series of events.
One of the highlights was the virtual unveiling of a 70-foot Messi statue at the Sreebhumi Sporting Club.
However, the grand tribute event at the Salt Lake Stadium turned into a disappointing incident.
Fans who had purchased expensive tickets felt cheated when Messi appeared for only 20 minutes instead of the scheduled 45. A riot broke out, with fans breaking chairs and throwing them onto the pitch in protest.
The event organizer, Satadru Dutta, was even detained by police following the incident.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly apologized for the incident and ordered a thorough investigation.
Kolkata's The Telegraph newspaper said in an editorial that "poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans - denied even a glimpse of Messi - "vented their anger by indulging in violence".
Smooth Visit to Hyderabad and Mumbai
Following the incident in Kolkata, Lionel Messi continued his trip to Hyderabad the same day, and the atmosphere changed dramatically.
The evening event at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium went smoothly and ended positively.
Messi participated in a short 7-on-7 exhibition match and a football clinic, with even Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy joining in.
Messi also met with the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, demonstrating his extensive reach.
On December 14, Messi arrived in Mumbai and attended various events at the Wankhede Stadium.
Along with Suárez and De Paul, he participated in a 45-minute charity fashion show.
Other highlights included the Padel GOAT Cup at Brabourne Stadium and a celebrity football match featuring prominent Bollywood actors.
Messi also met with cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and Indian football star Sunil Chhetri, adding to the list of interesting cross-sport encounters.
The evening in Mumbai concluded with Spanish music led by Luis Suárez and an auction of Argentina 2022 World Cup memorabilia.
Fan enthusiasm in Mumbai was high, with 'Meet and Greet' tickets, which cost up to ₹10 lakh (approximately $12,000 USD), selling out, allowing fans to shake hands and take photos with the superstar.
Sweet Ending in New Delhi
The final day of the 'GOAT India Tour 2025' on December 15 brought Lionel Messi to New Delhi, despite a delay due to heavy fog that affected his charter flight from Mumbai.
The event at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was greeted by thousands of fans who packed the stadium.
Messi participated in a celebrity football match between the Minerva Messi All Stars and the Celebrity Messi All Stars, interacting with players from both teams and young footballers, including playing rondo with children.
A football clinic for children was also a key part of Messi's New Delhi agenda.
At the Leela Palace Hotel, Messi held a meet-and-greet session and met with various dignitaries, including the Chief Justice of India, the Chief of Army Staff, the Argentine Ambassador, and several other high-ranking government officials.
The ceremony was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, ICC Chairman Jay Shah, and former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia.
Jay Shah symbolically presented custom-made Indian cricket jerseys to Messi (number 10), Suárez (number 9), and De Paul (number 7), as well as tickets for the 2026 T20 World Cup and cricket bats signed by India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad.
Messi also performed a lap of honor and thanked the fans for "all their love and support."
After the tour, Anant Ambani hosted Messi and his entourage at Vantara, a wildlife rescue and conservation center, ending the tour on a positive note.