Messi in India, GOAT tour Day 3 Highlights: Lionel Messi has finally arrived at the Arun Jaitley stadium, and he met with the Minerva Academy's young stars for a quick photo-op.
Hi and welcome to India Today's live coverage of Lionel Messi's Delhi visit.
What a moment at the Arun Jaitley Stadium! ICC chief Jay Shah was all smiles after meeting the legendary Lionel Messi in New Delhi, a crossover that perfectly captured the magic of global sport.
The cricketing powerhouse welcomed football royalty, as Shah expressed his delight at interacting with one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Luis Suárez taking a moment to ask about the Virat Kohli Stand at the Arun Jaitley Stadium said more than words ever could. One of world football’s biggest names being curious about a stand named after an Indian cricketer underlined just how far Kohli’s influence stretches beyond the boundary ropes.
It wasn’t just a casual question — it was a reflection of Kohli’s stature as a global sporting icon, recognised and respected across disciplines and continents.
From football stars to athletes in other sports, Kohli’s name resonates worldwide, and Suárez’s interest was yet another reminder of his role as a true ambassador of Indian sport on the global stage.
According to PTI, Anant Ambani is set to host Lionel Messi, Suarez and others at Vantara, the wildlife rescue and conservation center, with the one-night stop today, forming a key part of the football star's GOAT Tour of India.
He is now expected to head off for a special shoot with Adidas in Delhi itself. Stay tuned for any possible updates regarding that.
So some fans seem to be escorted outside the ground here. Not sure why they were removed by the ironic thing was that they were wearing Real Madrid kits and were being hounded with Messi chants.
“Thank you for all the affection you have shown us here in India over these days. Truly, it was a unique experience for us to be able to share this. Although it was intense and very short, it was wonderful to receive all this love, which I already knew was there, but experiencing it firsthand was incredible. Everything you did for us over these days was astonishing, pure madness.
So thank you all for the love, and we will surely return someday — perhaps to play a match or on some other occasion — but we will definitely visit again.
Thank you very much, thank you.â€
Seems like that is the end of Lionel Messi's appearance at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Perhaps just 30 minutes here that the Argentine was present.
Lionel Messi’s Delhi visit added another memorable chapter on Monday as he met ICC chairman Jay Shah along with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and DDCA president Rohan Jaitley.
The interaction saw a warm exchange of gestures, with Jay Shah presenting Indian cricket team jerseys to all three guests, symbolising the meeting of two of the country’s biggest sporting worlds. Messi was also gifted a special autographed cricket bat, making the moment a unique blend of footballing greatness and cricketing heritage.
Adding to the occasion, Shah extended an invitation to Messi for the upcoming T20 World Cup, presenting him with a ticket to the global showpiece event. The meeting underlined the growing crossover between international sporting icons and India’s sporting leadership, turning the stop into one of the highlights of Messi’s final leg of the G.O.A.T India Tour.
Rodrigo de Paul is having some fun here with the crowds, asking for more cheers after which he kicks another ball into the stands. A clean catch here by the fan as well, who will remember this.
Messi and co also links up with Aditi Chouhan, a former Indian footballer who also represented West Ham in the Premier League.
Messi and co have another set of rondo with some of the young lads and even goes for another photo-op as well.
Messi and co have also made their way around the stadium, giving the fans a prizes memento - footballs from the GOAT himself. Fans are scruffling away to get their hands on the ball but only the lucky few will walk away with one.
Lionel Messi, as seen in the previous legs of the tour, proceeds to have a kickabout with the youngsters present at the ground - likely the academy stars. Even Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul join in for the fun and its all smiles at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Messi immediately meets the Minerva academy youngsters here, even clicks a few photos with the young lads.
Lionel Messi has finally arrived at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, accompanied by Uruguay's Luis Suarez and fellow Argentine Rodrigo de Paul as the GOAT tour in Delhi finally gets underway.
Minerva Messi All Stars head into halftime in complete command, racing to a commanding 5–0 lead and underlining their dominance in this friendly clash.
Play is currently on hold as excitement inside the stadium continues to build around the anticipated arrival of the legendary Lionel Messi.
Adding to the intrigue, the match has reportedly been shifted from one turf to another, while news from the venue suggests that Indian Test captain Shubman Gill could also meet the iconic Argentine star.
Minerva Messi All Stars have stormed into a stunning 3–0 lead against the Celebrity Messi All Stars with just 10 minutes gone in the first half, but remarkably, the scoreline is still playing second fiddle to the buzz around the stadium.
All eyes remain fixed on the stands and the tunnel, as fans eagerly await the moment Lionel Messi arrives at the venue. The action on the pitch continues, yet the big question lingers — will CMAS find a way back, or will MMAS continue their dominance as the Messi frenzy builds?
The much-awaited friendly match between Celebrity Messi All Stars (CMAS) and Minerva Messi All Stars (MMAS) to welcome football legend Lionel Messi is underway at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, with a packed crowd creating a buzzing, electric atmosphere as fans eagerly await the Argentine superstar’s arrival at the venue.
Lionel Messi brought a touch of football royalty to the capital on Monday as he arrived at The Leela Palace Hotel for the final leg of his much-anticipated G.O.A.T India Tour.
After landing in Delhi earlier in the afternoon, the Argentine superstar headed straight to the luxury hotel, where excitement was already buzzing. Fans, hotel staff and onlookers gathered in hope of catching a glimpse of the World Cup winner, turning the otherwise calm entrance into a moment straight out of a football festival.
Argentine football icon Lionel Messi arrived in Delhi on Monday afternoon to begin the final leg of his G.O.A.T India Tour, after his flight from Mumbai was significantly delayed due to inclement weather.
Messi landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 2.30 pm and headed straight to The Leela Palace Hotel, where he is scheduled to take part in a private meet-and-greet session with a select group of guests for about an hour.
His Delhi visit will conclude with a packed schedule. Messi is set to make a special appearance at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium for a ticketed fan event, followed by a photo-shoot programme at the historic Purana Qila. He will then depart for Miami, his current base, later in the day.
We can now confirm that Messi has arrived in Delhi. The GOAT is here at the national captial.
According to media reports, Lionel Messi has arrived in Delhi.
The GOAT has arrived at the capital city for the final-leg of the GOAT tour.
Messi's GOAT India Tour has drawn sold-out crowds in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai, and the final leg in New Delhi appears set to be no different.
India cricket legend Harbhajan Singh shared his excitement after meeting football great Lionel Messi during the Mumbai leg of the Argentine star's India tour on Saturday. Harbhajan also met Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, posing for pictures with his family, which he later shared on social media. Thanking organiser Satadru Dutta, the authorities and the Mumbai Police, Harbhajan called it a memorable experience, writing on X: "What a day meeting with the one and only G.O.A.T Lionel Messi. Thank you Rony Satadaru for making it happen. Great host CCI Mumbai & well done Mumbai Police. Great job done."
Founder of Minerva Academy Ranjit Bajaj expressed his excitement ahead of meeting Lionel Messi, calling the occasion a dream come true and a once-in-a-lifetime moment for young footballers.
"We are all very excited to meet Lionel Messi. It is a dream come true for me...There cannot be something better for the children to meet their idol Lionel Messi...The events in Hyderabad and Mumbai have been organised very well...The public has come to see Messi, not the politicians..."
Thousands of fans queued up outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Monday, turning the area into a sea of Argentina jerseys and banners as anticipation built for the G.O.A.T Tour featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. From early morning, supporters braved long waits for a glimpse of the football icons, chanting Messi's name and capturing the carnival-like atmosphere on their phones.
Lionel Messi's arrival in Delhi for the final leg of his G.O.A.T. Tour has been delayed after his charter flight was deferred due to inclement weather. The Argentine great, who was in Mumbai on the second day of his three-day whirlwind visit to India, was scheduled to land in the national capital earlier this morning. However, dense fog conditions led to the delay. Messi is currently at Mumbai airport and is expected to depart shortly for his remaining engagements, which include an appearance at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium for a ticketed event.
During his brief stay in Delhi, Messi is scheduled to meet the Chief Justice of India and several parliamentarians. He was originally expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the latter departed for Jordan on Monday morning as part of a three-nation tour that also includes Ethiopia and Oman. Messi will then head to the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where a football clinic has been organised. He is set to felicitate Minerva Academy’s teams, which have won three youth trophies, and a nine-a-side football match has also been arranged as part of the programme. The visit will conclude with a stop at Purana Qila, where he is expected to meet several sporting personalities, including Rohit Sharma, Paralympic javelin gold medallist Sumit Antil, boxing world champion Nikhat Zareen, and Olympic high jump medallist Nishad Kumar.
Hundreds of Messi fans are gathered at the Arun Jaitley Stadium as the Argentine football icon is set to reach the capital.
Fans of football icon Lionel Messi arrive at the airport ahead of his arrival in the capital; security tightened.
As Lionel Messi closed in on a fog-hit New Delhi, fans chose humour over chaos. Social media filled with memes poking fun at the capital’s smog, chilly weather and the growing anticipation around the football icon’s final stop in India.
With Lionel Messi arriving in the capital, Delhi Traffic Police have activated strict diversions and parking curbs around Arun Jaitley Stadium to keep the day moving smoothly.
Key roads are restricted, heavy vehicles are off limits, towing is on standby, and fans have been urged to stick to metro and buses.
Argentine football icon Lionel Messi was initially scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his India visit. However, the meeting will no longer take place after the Prime Minister departed for Jordan on Monday morning as part of a three-nation tour that also includes Ethiopia and Oman.
During his Delhi leg on Monday, Messi is set to meet the Chief Justice of India and the Chief of Army Staff at a Member of Parliament’s residence. The final day of the GOAT India Tour will also feature Messi exchanging greetings with Indian batting great Virat Kohli at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
From chaos to calm, Lionel Messi’s India tour has already had it all.
Kolkata saw confusion and crowd trouble, Hyderabad delivered a smoother reset, and Mumbai wrapped it up with a picture-perfect evening.
Along the way, Messi shared the stage with Sunil Chhetri and Sachin Tendulkar, turning the Wankhede night into a celebration of sporting greatness before the journey moved on to Delhi.
The morning is big in New Delhi. Lionel Messi is coming to town.
But the capital has woken up wrapped in dense smog, threatening to steal some shine from the moment fans have been waiting for. Visibility is low, air quality is severe, and yet, anticipation around Messi’s arrival refuses to fade.
The Argentine icon lands in Delhi as the final stop of his GOAT India Tour 2025. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day before heading to the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where the main event will unfold under tight security and strict traffic regulations.
Fog, fumes and football royalty — Delhi has all three this morning.