Pictures: Lionel Messi Concludes GOAT India Tour 2025 in Delhi: Photos & Highlights
'Gracias Delhi! Hasta Pronto': Lionel Messi Concludes GOAT India Tour in Grand Style
New Delhi, December 15, 2025 - The curtain fell on the much-anticipated Lionel Messi G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025 in the nation's capital, New Delhi, today. After an eventful three-day, four-city whirlwind trip, the legendary Argentine footballer concluded his visit with a resounding reception at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, providing a fittingly joyous finale for his legions of Indian fans.Pictures of Messi In Delhi
“I just want to thank everyone for the love and affection during these days in India. It was truly a beautiful experience for us to share it.” 🇮🇳✨
— Lionel Messi
More Photographs of Messi In Delhi
Lionel Messi, Suarez and de Paul with former India captain and legendary Bhaichung Bhutia in Delhi!
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A Stadium Filled with Euphoria
The primary public event was held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, a venue typically synonymous with cricket, which was transformed into a cauldron of football frenzy. An estimated 25,000 devotional fans, many clad in the iconic blue and white No. 10 jersey, filled the stands, their continuous chants of "Messi, Messi" echoing throughout the venue.
- Messi's Arrival and Lap of Honour: Following a brief private meet-and-greet at the Leela Palace Hotel, Messi made his way to the stadium. His arrival was met with a thunderous roar. The superstar, along with Suárez and De Paul, took a lap of the ground, smiling and kicking footballs into the stands, thrilling the ecstatic crowd.
- Engagement with Youth: A key highlight was a football clinic, where Messi and his teammates interacted with young talents, including players from the champion Minerva Academy team, offering a moment of inspiration for India's next generation of footballers.
High-Profile Encounters and Special Invitation For Messi
The final leg of the tour featured several significant official engagements and high-profile meetings, underscoring the visit's cross-sport and diplomatic importance.- T20 World Cup Invitation: A defining moment saw International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah officially invite Messi to the T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Shah presented Messi with an exclusive ticket for India's opening game, an official India cricket jersey bearing the name 'MESSI' and No. 10, and a signed bat.
- Political and Sporting Dignitaries: The event was attended by various dignitaries, including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, DDCA President Rohan Jaitley, and former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia. There were also reports of a planned meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top government officials, though final details remain private.
Messi Promises to Return
Addressing the crowd in Spanish, Messi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the fans for their overwhelming affection.
Addressing the crowd in Spanish, Messi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the fans for their overwhelming affection.
"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. 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. Gracias Delhi! Hasta pronto," he said, leaving a sense of hopeful yearning among the spectators.
The conclusion of the tour in Delhi provided the smooth, celebratory ending that the organisers and fans had hoped for, following a chaotic start in Kolkata. The event succeeded in putting India, a cricket-dominant nation, back on the global football map, even if just for a few spectacular days, proving the immense and unifying power of the 'G.O.A.T.'
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