Lionel Messi is set to make his first trip to India in over a decade, and football fans are buzzing with excitement. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that the soccer superstar will visit the state on December 14 as part of the GOAT Tour.
Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and captain of the 2022 Qatar World Cup champion Argentina team, already sent a special gift to Fadnavis—a personally signed football. In a lively post on X (formerly Twitter), Fadnavis shared the news and invited young fans to get involved. “Guess what! Lionel Messi is coming to Maharashtra and… will play football with you, my young friends!” he wrote.
This marks Messi’s return to India since 2011, when he played a friendly match with Argentina against Venezuela in Kolkata. Speculation about his arrival had been building for weeks, with reports pointing to a late-year visit.
During his time in Maharashtra, the state sports department will select under-14 football talents from across the region. These young players, in partnership with MITRA and WIFA, will get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to train and practice with Messi himself on December 14. Fadnavis urged football enthusiasts and corporate supporters to back the initiative, calling it a boost for Maharashtra’s youth in world-class soccer training.
The excitement doesn’t stop there. Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman also announced that Messi and the Argentina national team will play a friendly match in Kerala this November during the FIFA International Window. “Messi will come,” Abdurahiman posted on Facebook, sharing an official email confirmation. “The Qatar World Cup-winning Argentina team, including Lionel Messi, will arrive in Kerala for the match.”
Soccer lovers in India are counting down the days to see the 38-year-old legend in action, bringing his GOAT-level skills to inspire the next generation.
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