Lionel Messi conversed with Sunil Chhetri and presented him with his Argentina jersey
Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul kicked balls into the stands and completed a lap of the ground
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis launched 'Project Maha-Deva' to identify and nurture young football players
Lionel Messi and Sachin Tendulkar appeared together at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium on Sunday (December 14, 2025), with the grand event adding a notable chapter to Indian sporting history. Messi, making his third stop during his four-city GOAT India 2025 tour, spent one hour at the Wankhede and spoke with young football players.
Apart from Tendulkar, Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri and other celebrities also joined the event. On the occasion, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis launched 'Project Maha-Deva', an initiative that will identify and nurture young football players across the state.
Crowd Chants And Cherished Moments
Fans packed the stadium for the programme, chanting “Messi… Messi” throughout. This venue had hosted India's 2011 Cricket World Cup triumph. Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, walked onto the field shortly after Tendulkar arrived around 5:45 pm.
While “Sachin… Sachin” chants usually resonate loudly there, the crowd initially roared loudest for “Messi… Messi”. However, the “Sachin… Sachin” chants returned to peak decibel levels when the batting legend joined Messi on stage.
Tendulkar addressed the crowd, stating, "I have spent some incredible moments here. A number of dreams have seen the finish line on this very venue. And without your support, we would never have seen those golden moments on this ground in 2011 (cricket World Cup)."
He continued, "And today, having all three of them here is indeed a golden moment for Mumbai, Mumbaikars and India." Tendulkar praised Messi, saying, "When it comes to Leo, what does one talk about him? He has achieved everything. We really admire his dedication, determination, commitment."
Messi's Interactions And Stadium Lap
Before the two sporting legends shared the stage, Messi had a memorable outing at the Wankhede, which was packed to the brim with his and Barcelona fans. For a few moments, the touring trio might have wondered if they were in Mumbai or Barcelona's Camp Nou, where Messi spent several trophy-laden seasons, as the crowd broke into chants of “Barca… Barca” and “Suarez… Suarez”.
Messi conversed with Chhetri and presented him with his Argentina jersey, also gifting one to chief minister Fadnavis. He interacted with members of Mitra Stars and India Stars, who played an exhibition match.
Fans cheered Chhetri, who scored 94 goals for India, with chants of “Chhetri… Chhetri” during the football activities. Fadnavis welcomed the visitors with bouquets and presented Messi with a memento.
It is uncommon for football icons like Messi to visit India and partake in public events. While his four-city visit had a challenging start in Kolkata, a smooth outing in Hyderabad likely eased concerns. The Wankhede programme was without incident.
Memorabilia Exchange And Pre-Event Appearance
On Sunday evening, Messi, dressed in a comfortable white T-shirt and black track pants, calmly walked a red carpet to deafening noise from fans who had arrived hours earlier. Tendulkar, Fadnavis, former AIFF president Praful Patel, and Bollywood stars Ajay Devgan and Tiger Shroff were present.
Messi, Suarez, and De Paul interacted with exhibition match team members and entertained crowds across various pavilions, some named after cricket legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant. The 7v7 exhibition match included current Indian footballers Rahul Bheke, Konsham Chinglensana, and Indian women's football star Bala Devi, alongside Chhetri.
As in Hyderabad, Messi, Suarez, and De Paul kicked balls into the stands and completed a lap of the ground. They also played with 'Project Maha-Deva’s' young football players at both ends of the centre square. Tendulkar gifted Messi an autographed India jersey bearing No. 10, Messi’s own number.
Messi, in turn, presented a football to the batting legend. The celebrated duo also conversed one-on-one during the programme. Before the Wankhede event, Messi, who arrived in Mumbai in the afternoon, attended a Padel event at the iconic Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium), the details of which remain undisclosed.
(With PTI inputs)
