Football icon Lionel Messi brought his highly publicized tour of India to a close on Monday, December 15, 2025, with a celebratory event in the nation's capital. Despite confronting dangerously high levels of air pollution, thousands of ardent fans packed New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium for a chance to see the Argentine superstar.
A Hero's Welcome in a Cricket Heartland
The 38-year-old Inter Miami forward received a rapturous welcome in a country traditionally dominated by cricket. The stadium, usually a cricket venue, was filled with supporters wearing Argentina's blue and white stripes, waving flags, and chanting his name. Messi, clad in a pink jersey and black trousers, addressed the crowd in Spanish, expressing his heartfelt appreciation. "It was beautiful to receive all the love and support," he said. "I knew it was there, but to receive it first-hand was, well, amazing." He assured the ecstatic audience that he would "definitely be back."
During his 35-minute appearance, Messi engaged with fans by kicking footballs into the stands and posing for selfies. The event also featured a football session with children. In a symbolic gesture bridging sports, Messi and his teammates were presented with a T20 World Cup ticket and an Indian cricket jersey by Jay Shah, chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Overcoming Chaos and Choking Smog
The final stop in New Delhi provided a smoother experience compared to the tour's chaotic opening in Kolkata on Saturday. There, frustrated fans, some of whom paid over $100 for tickets, vandalized the stadium and stormed the pitch after Messi's abrupt departure amid heavy security.
In Delhi, enthusiasm overrode environmental concerns. The megacity of 30 million residents, regularly ranked among the world's most polluted capitals, recorded hazardous air quality levels. Monitoring data from IQAir showed concentrations of cancer-causing PM 2.5 particles exceeded 300 micrograms per cubic metre in parts of the city—a level 20 times higher than the World Health Organization's daily maximum guideline.
"I’m very excited to see Messi, I have been watching him since my childhood," said 29-year-old fan Sumesh Raina, echoing the sentiment of many who dismissed the health risks. A 2024 study in The Lancet Planetary Health had previously estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution.
Legacy and Looking Ahead
Messi's "GOAT Tour" of the cricket-crazy nation, which included teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, also made stops in Hyderabad and Mumbai. In Mumbai, he met with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and Indian football star Sunil Chhetri.
The tour concluded on a high note for Messi, who just last week secured his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award. His leadership was instrumental in driving Inter Miami to the MLS title, where he also finished as the league's top scorer. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star now turns his focus to leading Argentina's defense of the FIFA World Cup title in North America in June-July 2026.
For India, a nation ranked 142nd in the world for football, Messi's visit provided a monumental spark for the sport's popularity, proving that even the world's greatest footballer can create a frenzy in the heart of a cricket powerhouse.
