Lionel Messi concluded his 3 days GOAT India Tour in New Delhi, felicitated at Arun Jaitley Stadium. A viral moment saw him notice two stars on the jersey. After receiving India’s cricket jersey from Jay Shah, Lionel Messi was seen having a brief look at it before he suddenly spotted two World Cup stars on top of the crest and asked Rodrigo de Paul about it. Messi appeared to be confused over India’s cricket jersey with a football jersey, as India has not won the FIFA World Cup yet. Lionel Messi was seemingly unsure whether he received the Indian cricket or football jersey from the ICC chairman Jay Shah. The viral video can be evidenced from a brief moment during the felicitation in New Delhi.
Lionel Messi was given an Indian jersey bearing his iconic ‘No.10’ and name on the back. Jay Shah also gifted the cricket bat with the signatures of Team India players who were part of the T20 World Cup-winning campaign last year, along with an invitation ticket to India’s T20 World Cup match against the USA next year. India have won 2007 WT20 and 2024 WT20 which is why there are two stars on the badge.
Messi on this tour visited Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai before concluding his historic tour in New Delhi, where he wrapped up the tour with a grand fan interaction and ceremonial appearance. He received a rousing reception at the Delhi stadium, engaged in fun activities with young football players, kicked footballs into the stands, and met the dignitaries, including ICC chairman Jay Shah, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta.
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DDCA President Rohan Jaitley felicitated Messi and two other great football players in Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul in front of the packed crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. During this tour, Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata (at his hotel before the stadium fiasco), opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
Now Lionel Messi will be on a break before returning to action for Inter Miami’s friendly matches against South America in January 2026, ahead of the MLS season, which will begin in February next year. Messi also shared a video on his official Instagram page about his GOAT tour to India.
