GLOAT India Tour's Messi trophy: Football takes a back seat as politicians hijack show
Telegraph | 18 December 2025
A chief minister’s wife looks for the best backdrop while clicking selfies with one of football’s greatest. Bollywood stars behave as if the Messi show belongs to them, not the wizard. A chief minister chooses to play football with the champion, despite not knowing how to make a right pass.
The Lionel Messi event in Calcutta was forgettable, with politicians and power brokers hijacking the show and depriving the fans of even a glimpse of their beloved player after having paid through the nose for tickets. But the jamboree across India had several moments that are also best forgotten.
One of India’s greatest athletes questioned spending millions of taxpayers’ money on a frenzied spectacle that would do precious little for the development of sports in India. Many shared the same sentiment, while also observing that Messi was used more as a prop by politicians to varnish their ambitions.
A glaring omission was not lost on many — in an Instagram video that Messi posted on Tuesday night summing up his G.O.A.T India tour and expressing his gratitude to the country, the football icon did not include any visuals with politicians.
VIP culture
In Mumbai, Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, was seen taking selfies with Messi. Not satisfied with the first image, she turned back to take more pictures with Messi, who appeared to have been listening to the announcement of Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri’s entry on the turf.
All the while, Amruta kept chewing gum as she took the pictures — her attitude and demeanour appearing to reek of arrogance and entitlement to many.
Her behaviour was widely perceived as disrespectful, not only towards Messi but also Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez, Messi’s Inter Miami colleagues whom Amruta seemed to ignore.
Both are distinguished international footballers in their own right. A prolific striker in his prime, Suarez is a Champions League winner and Uruguay’s all-time highest goal scorer, while De Paul is a World Cup and Copa America winner.
“A once-in-a-lifetime moment with Messi… reduced to a chewing-gum selfie for clout,” said an X user.
In Hyderabad, a short video showed Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy attempting two passes to Messi. Both were way off the mark, forcing the legend to sprint across the field. The clip went viral, drawing ridicule.
Union minister Kiren Rijiju mocked Reddy, posting on X: “It’s totally messed up!! CM Revanth Reddy Ji got a golden chance to play with GOAT but he couldn’t even give a simple pass to Messi. He kicked far left & right to make Messi run around.”
Abhinav Bindra, who won a shooting gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, questioned the objective of organising such spectacles.
“As a society are we building a culture of sport or are we simply celebrating individuals from afar. Millions were spent for moments of proximity photographs and fleeting access to a legend. And yes it is people’s money earned honestly and theirs to spend as they choose. Still I can’t help but feel a quiet sadness wondering what might have been possible if even a fraction of that energy and investment had been directed toward the foundations of sport in our country,” he posted on social media.
Misplaced priorities
At the Wankhede in Mumbai, actors Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff were part of the Messi show. Many asked why.
Invited on stage as a “youth icon”, Tiger attended the event as the ambassador of a campaign to nurture young football talent in Maharashtra. Tiger is known for being passionate about football and, going by social media clips, is not exactly a novice. But at the Wankhede on Sunday, he looked like he came straight out of the set of an action film — turned out in a sleeveless hoodie with its zip pulled down.
Ajay walked in later. The announcer said “Singham is in the house” when he walked in. “Why Singham? Why here? Why now?” asked an X user.
Fadnavis presented Ajay with a shawl. By then, the crowd had had enough. Boos reverberated across the stadium.
When Fadnavis began his address, the roar of disapproval continued.
Quick came the religion card. He shouted “Ganapati Bappa” and waited for “Morya” from the crowd. It appeared somewhat pacified after that.
“The fans’ message was loud and clear — they had come to celebrate Messi and found the interruptions jarring,” said a Calcuttan who watched the show on TV.
Sports administrator Joy Bhattacharjya, formerly associated with KKR and instrumental in organising the Under-17 Fifa World Cup in India, told this newspaper: “Everyone has used Messi’s visit for their own personal publicity. Politicians to brand managers to journalists.”
Little football
Sunil Chhetri, India’s all-time highest goal-scorer and fourth in international games after Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ali Daei, got only fleeting seconds with Messi in Mumbai.
Football itself had very little presence across the events.
Many compared Messi’s second trip with his first in 2011, where he played an international friendly in Calcutta. More than 80,000 fans cheered from the packed stands as Argentina beat Venezuela, courtesy a Nicolas Otamendi goal off a Messi corner.
This year, all Messi did was kick a few balls into the stands.
Bhattacharjya said the Messi show had nothing to do with the development of football in India. “Unfortunately, we as a people have zero priority about playing sports. The 2011 match was a fantastic idea. If you can watch him play, it can inspire generations. But for him to come out and for people to pay lakhs to shake hands is just a business venture. It has got nothing to do with sport. You can bring Tom Cruise. What is the difference? You can be an Argentina supporter, a Messi fan for 20 years. Taking a picture with him means your dream has come true. But none of this has anything to do with football or promotion of football in this country,” he said.
Rare exception
Messi seemed genuinely amused, not surprisingly, by football. As the visiting stars indulged in a passing game with teenagers in Mumbai, one moment stole the show.
As a girl nutmegged Suarez, the Uruguayan could hardly believe it himself, and his eyes stretched wide. Flashing his benign and magical smile was Messi.
More such interactions between the players and budding Indian footballers could have led to more such priceless moments.
The conduct of two other celebrities also stood out. Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi both showed grace and poise during their interactions with Messi.
“When it comes to Leo, if I have to speak about his game, it wouldn’t be the right platform. And you know, what does one talk about him? He has achieved everything. We really admire his dedication, determination, commitment.... And above all, his humility, the person that he is,” Tendulkar said at the Wankhede.
One of the lasting memories came when the Master Blaster gave Messi his cricket jersey and got a football in return. The crowd went berserk.
At Hyderabad, Rahul himself stepped back and allowed young footballers to come forward and interact with Messi. His gesture was widely shared on social media. “Leaving the stage for athletes... No craving for footage.... Take a bow Rahul Gandhi,” said one Facebook user.