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What began chaotically in Kolkata ended on a high note in Delhi as the legendary Lionel Messi concluded his GOAT tour of India with a final stop in the national capital. Messi delighted the fans with his enigmatic presence and his on-field skills at a packed Arun Jaitley Stadium, before leaving the country.
Much like Hyderabad and Mumbai, his previous two stops on his India tour, Messi appeared in great spirits as he soaked in the love and adulation from thousands of his fans, who waited hours to get a glimpse of their favourite footballer in Delhi. With his Inter Miami teammates, Luis Suarez and Rodrygo De Paul, by his side, Messi played with kids, posed for pictures, and signed autographs before meeting the dignitaries present at the venue.
While thousands were swayed away by the mere presence of the man, who has wowed football fans across the globe with his unmatched skills and finesse on the pitch, Messi's humility stood out. Addressing the crowd in Spanish, the football icon promised India for the love and affection, while promising to return in the future.
"I just want to thank everyone for the love and affection during these days in India. In fact, it was a truly beautiful experience for us to be able to share it," Messi said amid loud cheers from the thousands of fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
"And although it was short and intense, it was wonderful to receive all this love that I knew existed, but receiving it directly was amazing. It was a crazy experience, everything they did for us these days.
So, we carry all this love with us, and we will definitely return, hopefully one day to play a match or on another occasion, but we will definitely return to visit India. Thank you very much," he added.
After arriving at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Monday, Messi and his teammates were welcomed to a rousing reception from some 25,000 fans, who were present at the venue. The trio went on to take several laps of the ground to showcase their appreciation for the support.
They also kicked a few balls into the stands for the fans to take home as memorabilia. Towards the end of the event, Messi met Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, ICC president Jay Shah, Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia and DDCA president Arun Jaitley at the venue.
ICC president Shah presented Messi with a special bat, autographed by some of the legendary Indian cricketers. He also invited the Argentine superstar for the T20 World Cup 2026 in India next year by presenting Messi with a ticket for the India vs USA match in the tournament.
Shah also gifted customised Indian cricket jerseys to Messi, Suarez and De Paul. After he met Shah, Messi also caught up with Indian football legend Bhutia, who arrived on the stage with his daughters. The Argentine legend will leave for Miami on Monday after the conclusion of his three-day tour of India, where he visited four cities - Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
