Image Source aljazeera
NEW DELHI—The “G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025” reached a roaring conclusion at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Monday evening, capping off a three-day rollercoaster that saw Argentine legend Lionel Messi traverse Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and finally the national capital.
While the tour ended on a high note in Delhi, it will likely be remembered as much for its moments of organizational chaos as for the brilliance of the man himself.
Delhi: Chants, Cricket Jerseys, and a Final Goodbye
Despite Delhi’s hazardous air quality, which prompted some fans to chant “AQI, AQI” at local politicians, “Messi mania” remained the dominant force. The 38-year-old World Cup winner, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, participated in a football clinic for young players from the Minerva Academy.
The event featured a unique “collision of cultures” when Jay Shah, Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), presented Messi with a customized Indian cricket jersey bearing his iconic No. 10.
“The love we received these past few days has been crazy. It was a beautiful experience,” Messi told the crowd in Spanish. “We will definitely return, hopefully one day to play a match.”
The Kolkata Collapse:
From Celebration to “Warzone”
The tour’s conclusion stood in stark contrast to its opening leg in Kolkata on Saturday. What was meant to be a historic return to the “City of Joy” turned into a security nightmare at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Frustrated fans, some of whom paid up to ₹16,000 for tickets, erupted in anger when Messi’s appearance was cut short after just 20 minutes. Swarmed by a “beehive” of VIPs, politicians, and officials, the star was barely visible to the paying public. The situation turned volatile as:
- Fans threw plastic chairs and water bottles onto the pitch.
- Banners were torn down and stadium gates were breached.
- Rapid Action Force (RAF) units were deployed to restore order.
The fallout was immediate: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her “deep disturbance,” and the event’s main organizer, Satadru Dutta, was detained by police for alleged mismanagement.
A Tour of Contrasts
Between the chaos of Kolkata and the ceremony of Delhi, the tour saw smoother transitions in Hyderabad, where Messi played a 7-on-7 exhibition with CM Revanth Reddy, and Mumbai, where he shared a legendary stage with Sachin Tendulkar and Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri at the Wankhede Stadium.
While the tour proved that India’s appetite for Messi is bottomless, the events of the past 72 hours have sparked a national debate over whether the country is truly equipped to host global sporting icons of this magnitude.
