The 38-year-old Argentine superstar ended a multi-day tour of the cricket-mad country in the capital, New Delhi.
Published December 15, 2025
Soccer superstar Lionel Messi ended a whirlwind tour of India with a lap of honor in New Delhi on Monday, touching thousands of fans and thanking them for “all the love and support”.
The 38-year-old Argentina great greeted supporters at a nearly packed Arun Jaitley Stadium, usually the home of cricket, with fans wearing Argentina jerseys waving flags, shouting his name and chanting.
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“It was great to receive all the love and support. I knew it was there, but to receive it in person was really great,” Messi told the crowd in Spanish, adding: “I will definitely be back.”
Wearing a pink jersey and black trousers, Messi captivated the crowd with his charm as he kicked a soccer ball into the crowd and posed for selfies with star-struck players and fans.
Messi and his fellow stars played soccer with children before being presented with T20 World Cup tickets and an India jersey by International Cricket Council (ICC) president Jay Shah.
India, a country of 1.4 billion people, is a cricket powerhouse but struggles on the soccer pitch, ranking 142nd in the FIFA rankings.
Former Indian soccer captain Bhaichung Bhutia joined Messi on stage and signed Argentina shirts for the Indian star and his family.
The last day without confusion
Messi’s last stay in India ended smoothly after a chaotic opening day on Saturday with fans destroying the stadium in Kolkata city.
Due to tight security, fans had a hard time getting a glimpse of him. Many paid more than $100 for tickets, and after the superstar abruptly left the arena, they broke down the barricades and stormed onto the field.
In New Delhi on Monday, thousands of excited fans ignored dangerous suffocating air pollution to meet their hero.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting Messi. I’ve been watching him since I was a kid,” said Sumesh Raina, a 29-year-old fan.
New Delhi and its vast metropolitan area is home to 30 million people and consistently ranks as one of the world’s most polluted capitals, due to a mix of deadly emissions from power plants, heavy traffic, and the burning of garbage and crops.
Levels of cancer-causing PM2.5 particles reached more than 300 micrograms per cubic meter in some parts of New Delhi on Monday, according to monitoring agency IQAir, 20 times the maximum daily limit recommended by the World Health Organization.
Messi, who is in India with Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul as part of the so-called GOAT (‘Greatest of All Time’) tour, appeared unfazed by the toxic atmosphere.
During his 35-minute stay at the stadium, he maintained his energy and appeared to be in good spirits, along with fans and soccer enthusiasts.
Messi also visited the cities of Hyderabad and Mumbai, where he met the likes of cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and Indian football star Sunil Chhetri.
The player won Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Most Valuable Player award for the second year in a row last week after leading Inter Miami in the MLS title and leading the league in goals scored.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward will spearhead Argentina’s defense at the World Cup in North America from June to July.
