Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi welcomes the gathering during the ‘GOAT India Tour 2025’ at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: The football god has descended on the city and Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour, which started in disarray, ended in Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where fans flocked to see a player whose on-field actions often defy explanation. What mattered most was that the tour ended the way it should have, after a chaotic start in Kolkata on Saturday.The stands at the stadium were packed with spectators as a small group of Indian celebrities and dignitaries watched from the inside as the city hosted one of the world’s most famous athletes. For many, it was a chance to be close to a figure who has shaped the sport for the past two decades.
Lionel Messi India tour: The inside story of what went wrong in Kolkata
Messi spoke briefly in Spanish, a language unfamiliar to most of the crowd, and said: “Gracias Delhi! Hasta fast”, a moment that drew loud cheers from the stands.Speaking to the crowd in Spanish, Messi said: “Thank you for all the affection you have shown us here in India these days. It was truly a unique experience for us to be able to share it. Even though it was intense and very short, it was amazing to receive all the love that I already knew was there, but to experience it firsthand was incredible.”He added: “Everything you’ve done for us these days has been amazing, sheer madness. So thank you all for your love and we’ll definitely be back at some point – maybe for a game or some other occasion – but we’ll definitely be visiting again. Thank you so much, thank you.” After arriving at the stadium, Messi walked around the ground with a smile and watched the celebrity 7×7 match conclude as the crowd – many wearing Argentina’s blue and white number 10 shirt – chanted his name. He stood and waved to the crowd, something he could not do in Calcutta, where he was surrounded by politicians and their aides at the Salt Lake Stadium.Messi was later seen kicking the ball towards the stands along with Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul as they walked through the stadium, which saw an attendance of around 25,000. He also saluted the Minerva Academy football team.The program appeared designed around Messi and he navigated it smoothly. Along with him, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, ICC Chairman Jay Shah, DDCA President Rohan Jaitley and former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia were present at the end of the 30-minute event.Earlier in the day, Messi arrived in Delhi for the final leg of the GOAT India Tour after his flight from Mumbai was delayed due to weather conditions. He was scheduled to land around 10:45 a.m., but his charter flight was delayed by fog. He finally landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport around 2.30 pm and proceeded to the Leela Palace Hotel for a meet and greet with a select group of people.
