Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has arrived in India for his G.O.A.T. Tour 2025. His visit, coinciding with Virat Kohli’s return to Mumbai, has sparked massive buzz and speculation among fans over a possible meeting at Wankhede Stadium.
The Argentine football legend and the 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning captain, Lionel Messi, made his arrival in India by touching down in Kolkata on Saturday morning, December 13. The legendary football player is on a three-day visit to India as part of his G.O.A.T. Tour 2025. This is his first visit to the country since 2011, when he played a FIFA friendly match against Venezuela, which Argentina won 1-0 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
After 14 long years, Lionel Messi returned to India and made his first visit to Kolkata’s iconic stadium, where a large number of crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the legendary footballer, which ended in chaos as fans were frustrated when his appearance at the venue was short-lived due to security lapses. The 36-year-old also virtually inaugurated a life-size statue of himself holding the FIFA World Trophy.
Following the Kolkata event, Lionel Messi has arrived in Hyderabad, where he has appeared at an evening function featuring a 7‑on‑7 exhibition match, a football clinic, and entertainment activities at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Thereafter, the football legend will head to Mumbai on December 14, before concluding a three-day India visit in New Delhi on December 15.
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Virat Kohli’s, Mumbai Arrival Sparks Buzz
Lionel Messi’s arrival in India grabbed the headlines, but another sporting star’s return to India has grabbed the attention. And, that is none other than Virat Kohli. Kohli was part of Team India for the ODI series against South Africa, and following the conclusion of the series, the star batter headed back to London, where he has been residing with his family, including his actress wife Anushka Sharma and two children, since his Test retirement.
In a video that went viral on social media, Virat Kohli was seen exiting the private airport in Mumbai alongside his wife Anushka. Before getting into the car, the Indian batting stalwart smiled and waved at the paparazzi who were waiting outside the airport, while his wife Anushka Sharma kept a low profile and did not engage with photographers.
Virat Kohli arrived in Mumbai just a day before Lionel Messi’s arrival in the city as part of his G.O.A.T India Tour 2025. Mumbai is his third major stop on his four‑city tour, where he is expected to meet Bollywood celebrities, attend festival‑style events in the city, including a Padel Cup, celebrity football match, and coaching clinics with stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kareena Kapoor.
Sunil Chhetri has reportedly declined the invitation to meet Lionel Messi, saying such a ceremonial meeting would not benefit Indian football, given the sport’s current challenges and a lack of meaningful activities during Messi's Tour.
Kohli and Messi Meeting on the Cards?
Virat Kohli’s arrival in Mumbai just before Messi’s visit has fueled speculation about a possible meeting between the two sporting icons. There has been no official confirmation about the scheduled meetup between the Indian batting star and the Argentine football legend, but fans are speculating about the possible meetup between the two during the Mumbai leg of the G.O.A.T. Tour at the Wankhede Stadium.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), the fans and cricket and football enthusiasts sparked a massive buzz around the possible meeting between Kohli and Messi, with the India star batter’s arrival in Mumbai ahead of the legendary footballer’s landing in the city fueling further speculation among fans.
It has also been speculated that former India captains Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni will also meet Lionel Messi at the Wankhede Stadium, but there has been no official confirmation from the organisers or the players regarding such meetings.
Virat Kohli and Lionel Messi are two sporting icons with a massive fan following around the globe, and their possible meetup at the Wankhede Stadium is likely to grab the attention of the sporting world.
