GOATs meet! Sachin Tendulkar gifts his iconic no.10 jersey to Lionel Messi - WATCH

It was a crossover like no other as Lionel Messi met Sachin Tendulkar during the Mumbai leg of his ongoing GOAT tour of India at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, December 14. Messi and Tendulkar, legends of their respective sport, shared the stage for the first time in what was a moment to savour for sports lovers across the nation.

While Messi is regarded as one of the best footballers of all time, Tendulkar is considered the God of cricket. The packed Wankhede Stadium went wild on the legendary duo's meet-up as chants of 'Sachin, Sachin' took over, followed by shouts of 'Messi-Messi'. To make the meeting even more special, both Tendulkar and Messi shared gifts.

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Tendulkar gifted Messi his iconic no.10 jersey from the 2011 ODI World Cup, while Messi presented the Master Blaster with the World Cup ball from Argentina's victorious campaign in the FIFA World Cup 2022. It was at the same venue that India brought an end to their 28-year-long wait for their 2nd ODI World Cup title after beating Sri Lanka in a thrilling final in 2011.

Tendulkar also addressed the crowd at the Wankhede Stadium and thanked them for giving a lovely reception to Messi and his Inter Miami teammates, Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul, who are accompanying him on his ongoing tour of India. The trio were welcomed with a rousing reception as they took the field at the Wankhede Stadium earlier in the day.

"I have spent some incredible moments here. As we call it, Mumbai is a city of dreams, several dreams have seen the finish line at this very venue. Without your support, we would never have seen those golden moments at this ground in 2011. And today, having all three of them here is a golden moment for Mumbai, Mumbaikars and India. The way all three were received was remarkable," said Tendulkar, addressing the crowd at the Wankhede Stadium.

"If I have to speak about his game, it is not the right platform. But what does one talk about him, he has achieved everything. We admire his dedication, determination, commitment and above all, he is loved so much for his humility and the person he is. On behalf of all Mumbaikars, wishing him and his family the very best of health. To all of you, thank you once again for being here and encouraging our youngsters. I hope football also reaches the height we all aspire," added the cricket legend.

Messi also held the Indian flag while posing alongside Tendulkar. His teammates Suarez and De Paul also stood with the flags of their respective countries. Tendulkar and Messi's coming together on the same platform at one of India's most iconic venues also symbolised the amalgamation of two of the world's most popular sporting cultures.

Messi also met Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri during the high-profile event at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Argentine superstar was seen sharing an embrace with Chhetri on the ground before presenting him with his signed Argentina jersey. The former Indian football team captain took part in an exhibition match at the stadium before Messi's arrival and got on the scoresheet.

Messi left the venue after getting felicitated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also presented a special momento to the football legend. Messi will next travel to Delhi, where he will take part in an event at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The football icon is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday.