Messi Mesmerises Mumbai with Hour-Long Wankhede Appearance on GOAT India Tour 2025

Mumbai, Dec 14: He came, he saw, and he conquered hearts — all within a spellbinding hour. Global football icon Lionel Messi delivered a memorable and emotionally charged appearance at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Sunday as part of his GOAT India Tour 2025, leaving Mumbai’s fans thrilled and fully satisfied with an experience that blended sport, celebrity and inspiration.

Making his grand entry at around 5.30 pm, Messi spent a full hour at the venue, engaging with a packed stadium that included cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, leading Indian footballers past and present, Bollywood stars, celebrities and political leaders. His extended interaction with the crowd stood in sharp contrast to his brief and controversial 20-minute appearance in Kolkata earlier in the tour, which had triggered fan outrage and even prompted the West Bengal government to order a judicial inquiry.

Mumbai marked the third stop of Messi’s India tour, following his appearances at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium and Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. Of the three cities, Mumbai witnessed the longest and most relaxed interaction between the Argentine World Cup winner and his Indian fans, turning Wankhede into a sea of cheers, chants and camera flashes.

One of the most cherished moments of the evening was Messi’s interaction with Sachin Tendulkar. With the help of a translator, the two sporting legends exchanged warm words and smiles. Tendulkar presented Messi with his signed India jersey and was seen pointing to the No. 10 on the back — a number iconic to both men in their respective sports. Addressing the crowd first in Marathi and then in English, Tendulkar said the meeting would remain among his most memorable moments at the Wankhede, a stadium that has witnessed countless milestones in his own illustrious career.

The atmosphere turned electric as fans chanted the names of Messi, Tendulkar and Luis Suarez in unison. Suarez, along with Rodrigo, is accompanying Messi on the GOAT India Tour 2025. At one point, the crowd broke into chants of “Barca, Barca,” attempting to send a collective message to FC Barcelona to consider a future visit to Mumbai.

During the event, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis officially launched Project Maha-deva, a football development initiative aimed at nurturing young talent from Maharashtra. Bollywood star Tiger Shroff has been named the project’s mentor and brand ambassador. Addressing Messi and the gathering, Fadnavis outlined the project’s vision of providing structured training and long-term support to school-going boys and girls across the state. He expressed hope that players emerging from the initiative would one day achieve global success, much like the Argentine legend himself. The Maharashtra government has selected 16 players as the initial intake for the Maha-deva project.

Although Messi arrived about 30 minutes later than scheduled, he appeared relaxed and eager to engage with fans. At various moments, he directed security personnel toward areas of the ground he wished to visit, signalling his desire for a more personal interaction. Before arriving at Wankhede, Messi had attended a programme at the nearby Cricket Club of India (CCI) to promote Padel and reportedly spent time playing the sport with JSW Sports businessman Parth Jindal.

Messi entered the stadium while a celebrity football match between India XI and Mitra XI was underway. The match featured prominent players such as Sunil Chhetri, Rahul Bheke, Jayesh Rane and Ashutosh Mehta, along with India women’s team star Bala Devi. Messi greeted both teams with handshakes and posed for photographs, drawing loud applause from the stands.

He then took a lap of honour around the stadium, kicking footballs into the crowd as souvenirs for fans to cherish. Suarez and Rodrigo joined him, while schoolchildren from the Maha-deva project shared special moments with Messi as he kicked the ball with them and offered words of encouragement.

At the makeshift stage, Messi was formally welcomed by Chief Minister Fadnavis and his wife, and presented with a GOAT Tour jersey. The Argentine star also posed for photographs with Bollywood actors Tiger Shroff, Ajay Devgn and Dino Morea, adding further glamour to the evening.

After a lengthy and heartfelt interaction with Tendulkar, Messi departed the stadium to attend additional engagements as part of his whirlwind Mumbai visit. He is scheduled to appear at a celebrity fashion show later in the evening, where he is expected to auction signed jerseys and memorabilia.

Messi is set to leave for Delhi on Monday morning, but his hour at the Wankhede has already etched itself into Mumbai’s sporting folklore — a rare, magical convergence of football royalty and Indian sporting passion.

Team Maverick