Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has been training hard to play an exhibition match against football great Lionel Messi on December 13 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, Uppal as part of Messi’s ‘GOAT India Tour 2025’.
Revanth Reddy’s team named Revanth Reddy 9 will take on Lionel Messi 10 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on December 13. The Chief Minister will wear the number 9 jersey while Messi will be in his familiar number 10 shirt. The RR9 team is likely to be joined by select players from government schools.
Reddy knows that every move on the field will be watched closely and will likely become fodder for memes and online chatter. That’s why he started training seriously. Every day, after official work, he changes into a soccer jersey and heads to practice. He has a lot to gain from the spectacle. If Messi dominates the game, Reddy will still be competing with one of the greatest footballers of all time. If he can pull through, it could boost his public image and set a new benchmark for chief ministers in India.
Reddy played football in his younger years and welcomed the chance to return to the sport. The event also fits into his FAST program, which stands for Fit, Assertive, Strategic, Tough. This is the brand it wants to project. The match is also in line with the government’s Telangana Rising 2047 initiative, which encourages children in government schools to take up sports as a serious hobby and not just a hobby. With this news in mind, Reddy wants to serve like Messi as the state representative.
The Chief Minister trains for 45 minutes every day to prepare for the competition. In a post on X, Reddy said he entered the football field with the intention of showcasing the vision of Telangana Rising 2047 through sports.
He wrote: “Sports spirit of Telangana is pride I started training to participate in a football match with world renowned football player Messi on 13th of this month. With a strategic intention to show the world the vision of ‘Telangana Rising 2047’ stronger from the sports arena and with Messi’s support, I personally entered the football field.”
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
December 2, 2025
