Lionel Messi India Goat Tour 2025 Highlights: Messi ends day 1 after meeting Revanth Reddy, Rahul Gandhi

The Hyderabad leg of the GOAT tour has finally come to an end here! Messi, De Paul and Suarez are now exiting the stadium as they gear up for day 2 of the ongoinbg tour.

After Messi, Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez also addressed the fans at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium! Both players expressed their delight at being present in the city!

Lionel Messi talked about how grateful he feels for the admiration of the fans, and expressed his delight at being present in Hyderabad.

The GOAT Cup has been presented by Lionel Messi to the winning RR 9 side, who defeated Messi All Stars in the exhibition.

Lionel Messi has met up with Rahul Gandhi as well. He clicks picture with him, standing alongside Suarez, De Paul and Revanth Reddy as well!

Messi has been playing football with children and has been walking all over the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, waving and greeting the fans. Suarez and De Paul have also been giving away autographs to the kids present a the ground.

Revanth Reddy scored a penalty as well as Messi, Suarez, and de Paul stand in attendance!

Messi, Suarez, De Paul, alongside Revanth Reddy are now witnessing a penalty shootouts between RR 9 and Messi All Stars!

Revanth Reddy, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo de Paul are playing football with each other! The fans can't stop showing their excitement as they witness the GOAT in action!

Lionel Messi has joined the game here with Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez! A brilliant moment for the fans in Hyderabad. He greets the players of the exhibition game, and will soon participate in the shootouts as well!

Revanth Reddy now joins the exhibition game! He will take part in the game before Messi joins in. He will be a part of the RR 9 squad, taking on the Messi All Stars.

Lionel Messi has arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium! The star forward has arrived at the venue and will soon be present at the ground as well.

An exhibition game is being played before Messi's appearance. The star forward is set to arrive at the venue very soon.

Rahul Gandhi has arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Messi is set to make an appearance very soon as well.

After his meeting with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Messi has now left the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad and is set to arrive at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium soon.

It is interesting to note that Messi will also parade around the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, waving to his fans as part of his tour. He will also be presented with the GOAT cup for playing in the penalty shootouts, and will also exchange pleasantaries with the Chief Minister.

The fans are present at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in huge numbers, they look enthusiastic to witness Lionel Messi in person. The Argentine forward should arrive at the venue is about an hour. 

Former India footballer  Bhaichung Bhutia came forward and gave his take on how the situation escalated in Kolkata. "I think it's very unfortunate. I think the organisers did their best, but sometimes it gets out of control, especially VIP culture - it becomes very difficult even to the organisers to stop a lot of VIPs who are not supposed to be there as well, I think they entered and crowded," Bhutia said.

Messi's arrival at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium has been long-awaited. According to the schedule, the Argentine forward will start the tour in the stadium by 7:50 pm, where he will be playing football with the CM, and will also interact with children.

Upon his arrival in Hyderabad, Lionel Messi was captured meeting the Telangana CM Revnath Reddy. In the clip that has been making the rounds, Messi shook Reddy's hands as he arrived in the city to continue his tour. 

Lionel Messi has finally arrived in Hyderabad to continue his India tour. According to PTI, the Argentine forward has landed, and will soon travel to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium to continue his tour. 

The festivities in Hyderabad begin at 7:50 pm, Messi will participate in a plethora of activities for over an hour as he meets the CM of the state, and even will dribble the ball alongside him.

A total of 4000 police officials have been deployed in Hyderabad as the city prepares to host Messi. The city will be looking to avoid a similar debacle to that of Kolkata, and with the increased, the event should run smoothly as once planned.

"TMC has lost its mental balance...The chaos today at the Messi event is a black spot on Indian football. Today is a black day. TMC is responsible for this massacre. Messi was surrounded by TMC leaders...This was a TMC program, and it was meant to loot the public...This was an organised scam of TMC," said Samik Bhattacharya.

After the statue was unveiled in Kolkata, a graffiti in Lionel Messi's honour was unveiled in Mumbai. After his tour in Hyderabad, Messi will be visiting Mumbai to continue his tour on December 14.

It is worth noting that the fans have started to gather outside the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, in anticipation of Messi's arrival at the venue. Many fans have been expressing their excitement over seeing Messi in person.

The AIFF (All India Football Federation) took to social media and made a statement around the chaos that erupted in Kolkata due to Messi's visit. "The All India Football Federation is deeply concerned by the events that transpired at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, where thousands of fans gathered to witness world football stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo de Paul," the AIFF stated.

It is worth noting that Lionel Messi is expected to arrive at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium by 7-7:30 pm, and the festivities are expected to begin by 5 pm

With Messi set to arrive in Hyderabad soon, the GOAT tour is likely to continue. However, the arrest of Satadru Dutta have left the situation in the dark, and it could be interesting to see where things lead.

With Messi set to arrive in Hyderabad to continue his tour, Rahul Gandhi has arrived at the Hyderabad airport in the latest visuals. CM Revanth Reddy was present to receive him as well.

With the chaos in Kolkata, the Lionel Messi GOAT tour is expected to continue as planned. As per the current plan, the Argentine forward is expected to reach Hyderabad by 4 pm.

The Governor of West Bengal CV Anand Bose came forward and talked about the chaos in Kolkata as well. He also confirmed the organiser's arrest and slammed them for the mismanagement.  "This resulted from the mismanagement. The organizer who conducted this event did not take any necessary precautions while holding such a huge congregation... The suggestions given for the directives issued to the government are: order a judicial inquiry into the event," Bose told ANI.

Furthermore,  West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar also confirmed that Dutta was detained while he was en route to Hyderabad.“We have persuaded the organiser; he has given in writing that the tickets which have been sold will be refunded. The situation is now under control. We have detained the main organiser and ensured that this mismanagement does not go unpunished and that the fans are adequately compensated,” he said.

“Satadru Dutta the main organiser of the programme, was already detained by police. Money will be refunded, police ensure that... Processes are going on. Investigation going on,” Javed Shamim, ADG Law and Order said in the press conference.

The promoter of Messi's GOAT India Tour 2025, Satadru Dutta, has been arrested by the Kolkata Police.

"The truth is it's an honour and a pleasure to be here. I know about the support from the people of India in the World Cup, the support we had. I’m very happy to be able to share these days with them because I know the affection they have for me!" Lionel Messi said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has held the event management responsible after chaos erupted at the Salt Lake Stadium, with fans complaining that they were unable to see Lionel Messi because of the crowd around him. However, much of that crowd consisted of ministers from Mamata's own cabinet, who remained in close proximity to Messi throughout the programme. This has raised questions over whether the situation could have been handled more effectively and whether responsibility lies solely with the organisers. To note, Kolkata Police was in charge and that department is led by Mamata herself.

"TMC has made a mess of Messi. TMC hijacked the entire programme. Their ministers - Sujit Bose, Arup Biswas and other ministers were involved in this. They have scammed people and have also sold it in black. I've heard that it was Arup Biswas' men who entered the ground and vandalised it," Sukanta said. 

"Is this just about money and business done by the management? The fans came only to see Messi, but no one gave any priority to their emotions and focused solely on business..." Kunal Ghosh said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has apologised to Lionel Messi after utter chaos broke out at the Salt Lake Stadium. She also blamed the management and called for an enquiry to review the situation.

Amid extreme chaos, Lionel Messi left for Kolkata airport. The security has been tightened. He will now travel to Hyderabad, with the flight scheduled to leave at 2:30 pm.

Fans in attendance expressed their frustration after Messi left the field early. They also complained about the behaviour of the officials involved. 

Extreme vandalism in Kolkata as fans march onto the stadium in protest. Banners and posters have been destroyed along with chairs on the stands.  

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has sought a detailed report from the state government regarding the arrangements made for Argentine football star Lionel Messi’s programme in Kolkata on Saturday, according to a Lok Bhavan official.

Fans broke chairs in the Salt Lake stadium and threw objects at the officials after Lionel Messi left the ground early. They were left frustrated with not just the early exit but the behaviour of the officials, for which they couldn't see the footballer properly.

A viral social media video claims that the fans in attendance even broke seats in the Salt Lake Stadium after Lionel Messi left early. Huge sounds of boos were heard, while bottles and water packages were thrown at the police and officials.

Plastic bottles and packages have been thrown as the police personnel and officials after Lionel Messi left the Salt Lake stadium early. All three players seemed to be in a bit of discomfort as a huge crowd gathered near them. They even felt discomfort in walking at one point. 

The crowd in Kolkata threw plastic bottles and packages as Lionel Messi left the stadium early. The crowd was very overwhelming and the players had barely any room to walk and following which, he exited via the tunnel. Soon after that, chaos broke out in the stands. 

Mohun Bagan's Debashis Dutta gifted a Mohun Bagan jersey to Lionel Messi with his name imprinted on the back. Thousands of fans have gathered at the stadium as Messi takes a stroll to greet all the fans. 

Lionel Messi greets thousands of fans in attendance at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. He also met Mohun Bagan secretary Srinjoy Bose and signed his coat. Sports Minister Arup Biswas is also part of the event. 

Lionel Messi has reached the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. He is accompanied by Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul. The crowd welcomed them with a massive roar and 'Messi, Messi' chants. The real show begins now!

Lionel Messi has completed all the formalities regarding the sponsored activity. He is now on his way to the Salt Lake Stadium. Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul are with him. The trio will have a masterclass with some of the young footballers and will later be felicitated by WB CM Mamata Banerjee. Sourav Ganguly will also be part of the event. 

Here's a glimpse of some of the photos from the exhibition match that is being played between Mohun Bagan and Diamond Harbour at the Salt Lake Stadium. In the meantime, WB CM Mamata Banerjee is on her way to the stadium.

Messi All-Stars exhibition match between Diamond Harbour and Mohun Bagan kicked off at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Several marquee names, including Shilton Pal, Arnab, Lalkomal Bhaumik and MD. Rafique are part of the match. Diamond Harbour coach Kibu Vicuna is also part of the event. 

Soon after the statue was unveiled, Shah Rukh Khan met Lionel Messi at the Hyatt Regency in Kolkata. During the brief moment, SRK's youngest son Abram was spotted clicking a photo with the legendary footballer as Shah Rukh was by his side.

RPSG owner, who also owns Mohun Bagan Super Giants and Lucknow Super Giants, met Lionel Messi in Kolkata. He gifted a special Sa Re Ga Ma caravan to the legendary footballer. Messi was all smiles to meet during the event.

Here's the moment when Messi unveiled his 70-foot statue in Lake Town in Kolkata. Several fans with India's and Argentina's flags have gathered at the place. The video, in the meantime, is going viral on social media, with several international media covering the event.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan met Lionel Messi during his 70-foot statue inauguration. Messi greeted the actor with a wide smile, as Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul were also part of the event. 

Lionel Messi virtually unveils his 70-foot statue in Lake Town. Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul were also part of the special event, which Minister Sujit Bose hosted. The legendary footballer stated 'Muchas Gracias', which translates to Thank you very much, before continuing his speech in Spanish.

The GOAT Tour, featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul, have begun in Kolkata. Reputed local singer Anik Dar is currently performing to entertain the fans, who wait for Messi's entry in less than one hours time. Shah Rukh Khan is expected to reach the stadium soon.

FIFA World Cup – 1
UEFA Champions League – 4
Copa America – 2
Finalissima – 1
Olympic Gold Medal – 1
UEFA Super Cup – 3
FIFA Club World Cup – 3
La Liga Titles – 10
Ligue 1 Titles – 2
Copa del Rey – 7
Supercopa de España – 8
Trophée des Champions – 1
Leagues Cup (USA) – 1

Messi fans from Benaras, Chennai, Meghalaya, Nepal and even USA have come to Salt Lake Stadium to meet the World Cup-winning captain. The craze is only building up as the show is expected to start in one hour.

Fans, who couldn't book a ticket for the Salt Lake Stadium event, have gathered near his statue in Lake Town. Most of them have carried a Blue and White Argentina flag and is waving them, waiting in anticipation for the inauguration of his 70-feet statue.

Lionel Messi is staying at the Hyatt Regency in Kolkata. It's a hotel just next to the Salt Lake Stadium. As per reports, room number 730 is reserved for the Argentina World Cup-winning captain. It was a thoughtful decision as the number adds to 10, which is also his jersey number. 

All roads in Kolkata lead to Salt Lake Stadium today as Lionel Messi will soon arrive at the stadium. Several celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, Sourav Ganguly and Leander Paes will soon arrive at the venue before Messi arrives in about two hours' time. 

In another video, fans are spotted chanting 'Messi, Messi' inside the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. The star footballer, along with Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul, is expected to reach the venue at around 11:20 am, after the sponsored event.

We are minutes away from the GOAT Tour to begin. Ahead of that, the fans have already started coming in at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. The security is extremely tight, given the magnitude of the event. 

A couple of days back, promoter Satadru Dutta confirmed that he is in talks with two more of Messi's Barcelona teammates to join him during the GOAT Tour India 2025. He hasn't spoken about the development since. Will we see more iconic footballers in India, preferably in the Mumbai or Delhi leg? Only time will tell.

1. Pele

2. Diego Maradona

3. Lev Yashin

4. Carlos Alberto

5. Roger Milla

6. Oliver Kahn

7. Diego Forlan

8. Alessandro Del Piero

9. Emiliano Martinez

10. Rene Higuita

11. Bebeto

12. Dunga

13. Thomas Muller

Sujit Bose, who is serving as Minister in the Government of West Bengal, shared his take on the Lionel Messi statue in Lake Town, a place that comes under his jurisdiction. He shared that the player approved the statue and will talk more about it when they meet in person.

Here's a highlight of Messi's arrival in Kolkata and the reaction of the thousands of fans who gathered to welcome the star footballer. Plenty of fans also reached the hotel and even booked their stay to meet the Argentina's World Cup-winning captain. 

Argentina's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez visited Kolkata in 2023. It was also a Satadru Dutta initiative. He was honoured by Mohun Bagan and also paid floral tributes to Diego Maradona at his statue in Lake Town.

Lionel Messi, Rodrygo de Paul and Luis Suarez will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 15 in New Delhi. A small programme has been arranged for the footballer on the same day at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The Minerva Academy will also be honoured during the event. 

"Not just Messi — Rodrigo de Paul is coming, and Luis Suárez is also coming. So, I am very happy. His arrival will create a positive footballing ecosystem... I hope that since so many sponsors supported me when I was racing, someday they will also invest in Indian football," said Satadru Dutta, the man who brought Messi to India.

India's Captain, Leader, Legend, Sunil Chhetri, will meet Lionel Messi on Sunday, December 14, in Mumbai. His club Bengaluru FC has confirmed the development. He is very likely to take part in a celebrity football match that has been arranged.

Several fans have already arrived at the Salt Lake Stadium ahead of the kickoff of the GOAT Tour 2025. The programme is scheduled ot begin at 10:30 am, but the fans couldn't keep calm and arrived at the venue at least three hours prior to the event. 

The moment when Lionel Messi, along with Rodrygo de Paul and Luis Suarez, reached the hotel, along with their entourage. As the video suggests, several fans gathered to meet the trio in the early hours of the day, beating the winter. 

Glimpse of Messi with Rodrygo de Paul and Luis Suarez in the car as they leave for the hotel. Thousands of fans gathered to welcome the trio and the footballers left the airport with all smiles.

"We are living in the time of one of the best World Cup Finals ever. I remember watching WC with my mom on a small tv….now the same excitement with my kids!! And thank u #Messi for making us all believe in talent, hard work & dreams!!" Shah Rukh had tweeted.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan reaches Kolkata ahead of Lionel Messi's arrival at the City of Joy. The Bollywood mega star is scheduled to be part of the Kolkata leg of Messi's GOAT tour and may even be seen participating in either dancing or hosting the event. The details of the event haven't been released yet.

Here's a look at Lionel Messi's 70-foot statue that will be unveiled in Kolkata today. It was built in Lake Town, just beside Kolkata's Big Ben. The legendary footballer will inaugurate the statue via a virtual ceremony later in the day. 

Lionel Messi visited India with his Argentina team in 2011. They participated in a friendly match that was arranged against Venezuela. Argentina emerged victorious in the match, courtesy of a 70-minute goal from Nicholas Otamendi, former Manchester City defender.

Some of the fans also booked their room in the same hotel as Messi's. They wanted to have a glimpse of the legendary footballer, but the entire floor was booked for the players and their entourage. The fans made plenty of noise at night with chants, but they were eventually asked to stay inside their room. 

The moment when Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez reached Kolkata airport. Messi was escorted by several police personnel amid media focus, while Suarez left the airport casually, wearing a white t-shirt. 

Thousands of fans gathered at the airport to welcome Messi in Kolkata. However, the trio of footballers never left the main gate, as a special arrangement was made to take them directly to the hotel from the airport. 

Messi's GOAT tour is scheduled to begin at 9:30 am with some sponsored activities. However, the little magician, as he is popularly known, arrived in Kolkata late at night. It might force some change in plans as the footballing trio might need some rest due to jet lag. Nothing has been confirmed so far. He arrived in Kolkata 2 hours late at night and in case there's a change in plan, it will be shared shortly. 

9:30 AM to 10:30 AM: Meet-and-greet programme
10:30 AM to 11:15 AM: Virtual inauguration of Messi’s statue
11:15 AM to 11:25 AM: Arrival at the Salt Lake Stadium
11:30 AM: Shah Rukh Khan arrives at the Salt Lake Stadium
12:00 PM: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly arrive at the Salt Lake Stadium
12:00 PM to 12:30 PM: Friendly match, felicitation and interaction
2:00 PM: Departure for Hyderabad

Lionel Messi reached the Kolkata airport, also known as Netaji Subhash Chandra International Airport, after midnight. He was received by Satadru Datta and his team and was taken straight to the hotel in Bypass. Messi was also accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of Lionel Messi's GOAT Tour 2025, which begins on December 13 in Kolkata. Argentina's World Cup-winning captain has already reached the City of Joy and was received by thousands of his supporters. Stay up to date with everything related to Messi.