Did Messi Just Land in Mumbai for the GOAT Tour?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Lionel Messi arrives in Mumbai for the third leg of his GOAT Tour.
- He will participate in the Padel GOAT Cup and an exhibition match.
- Security measures are heightened in response to previous crowd control issues.
- Messi is set to auction memorabilia from the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
- The tour highlights the growing popularity of football in India.
Mumbai, Dec 14 (NationPress) The renowned Argentine football icon Lionel Messi arrived in Mumbai on Sunday afternoon, marking the third destination of his GOAT Tour. He is slated to participate in the Padel GOAT Cup at the Cricket Club of India, located in the Brabourne Stadium, before heading to the iconic Wankhede Stadium later in the evening.
On Saturday, the football great made appearances in Kolkata and Hyderabad. Following his stint in Mumbai, he will travel to New Delhi to wrap up the tour and his visit to India.
Messi is set to join cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar for an event at the Cricket Club on Sunday evening, with cricket stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also anticipated to attend. The Argentine superstar will then proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for a celebrity exhibition match, scheduled to kick off around 5:00 PM.
The evening will transition into an exclusive fashion show, where Messi will auction off his memorabilia from the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. Furthermore, he is expected to engage in the ‘GOAT Football Clinic’, an initiative organized by the Maharashtra government, where he will offer valuable tips to aspiring young footballers. Sunil Chhetri, another Indian football legend, has confirmed his presence in Mumbai.
In response to the chaos experienced in Kolkata, Mumbai Police have implemented stringent security measures, anticipating high attendance at the events.
The GOAT Tour commenced with significant challenges as organizers struggled to manage the overwhelming crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium. Enthusiastic fans flocked to see Messi, accompanied by Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, but faced frustration due to inadequate venue management.
In Telangana, Messi enjoyed moments of joy, engaging in photo ops and playing football with children, while also interacting casually with officials.
At Uppal Stadium, he remained in a VIP area, waving to fans and making a brief appearance on the stadium's big screen during an ongoing match.