Lionel Messi makes appearance in Delhi as footballer ends India tour

Lionel Messi makes appearance in Delhi as footballer ends India tourThe 38-year-old Argentina superstar concluded his multi-day tour of the cricket-crazy nation in the capital, New Delhi.Published On 15 Dec 2025Football superstar Lionel Messi ended his whirlwind tour of India on Monday with a lap of honour in New Delhi, thrilling thousands of fans and thanking them for “all the love and support”.The 38-year-old Argentine great greeted chanting supporters at a nearly packed Arun Jaitley Stadium, usually home to cricket, with fans dressed in Argentina jerseys waving flags and shouting his name.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4AFCON 2025: Full match schedule before Africa’s showcase football spectaclelist 2 of 4Mbappe returns at Alaves to ease Real pressure on Madrid coach Alonsolist 3 of 4NFL: Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes tears ACL, out for seasonlist 4 of 4NBA: LeBron James rallies Lakers to comeback victory over Sunsend of list“It was beautiful to receive all the love and support. I knew it was there, but to receive it first-hand was, well, amazing,” Messi told the crowd, speaking in Spanish, saying he will “definitely be back”.Clad in a pink jersey and black trousers, Messi enthralled the audience with his charm as he kicked footballs into the crowd and obliged star-struck delegates and fans with selfies.Messi and his fellow stars played football with children before being presented with a T20 World Cup ticket and an Indian jersey by the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Jay Shah.India – a nation of 1.4 billion – is a cricket powerhouse, but struggles on the football pitch and stands 142nd in the FIFA rankings.Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia took the stage with Messi, who signed Argentine jerseys for the Indian star and his family.Lionel Messi, second from right, plays football with children at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi [Sajjad Hussain/AFP]Chaos-free final dayMessi’s final stop in India went smoothly after a chaotic opening day on Saturday, when fans vandalised a stadium in the city of Kolkata, where his brief presence left the crowd frustrated.