Sachin Tendulkar and Lionel Messi (X) Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar described Lionel Messi’s visit to Mumbai as a “golden moment” for the city and the country as the Argentine football superstar continued his tour of India on Sunday. Tendulkar drew a parallel between Messi’s presence at the venue and India’s 2011 Cricket World Cup triumph, a historic moment that took place at the same venue. Addressing the gathering, Tendulkar recalled the memories associated with Mumbai and called it a city where countless dreams reached their destination. He referred to India’s ODI World Cup win in 2011 and acknowledged the role of fans in creating those moments. Tendulkar said the arrival of Messi, along with Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, added another special chapter to the venue’s history and praised the warm welcome the city gave the footballers.
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Talking about Messi, Tendulkar said there is little left to say about a player who has achieved everything the sport has to offer. He highlighted Messi’s dedication, determination and commitment while emphasizing the humility he brings as a person. Tendulkar wished Messi and his family all the best on behalf of Indians and thanked him for inspiring young athletes. He also expressed hope that one day Indian football would reach the heights it aspires to. During the interaction, Tendulkar presented Messi with an autographed No.10 jersey, while Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain reciprocated the gesture by gifting him a soccer ball. Messi arrived in Mumbai around noon amid World Cup-level security measures, marking the second day of his four-city ‘GOAT India Tour 2025’. He is expected to end his tour on Monday in New Delhi, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event in Mumbai followed a mixed start to the tour. While Saturday’s leg in Kolkata was marred by crowd management issues and security lapses, the evening program in Hyderabad went smoothly and ended on a positive note.
