GOAT India Tour back on track as Hyderabad hosts smooth Messi event after Kolkata chaos

The Hyderabad leg, the second stop of Messi’s three-day, four-city India tour, unfolded without incident, allowing the programme to run its full course.

After the disorder and overcrowding that marred the Kolkata event, the Telangana capital offered a controlled setting where the crowd remained disciplined, and the schedule stayed intact.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joins the Messi event in Hyderabad. Photo: X/@INCIndia

Messi arrived in Hyderabad around 5:40 pm following a difficult opening leg in the City of Joy.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy welcomed the Argentine star at the Taj Falaknuma Palace before he proceeded to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium for the main event.

Smooth reception at packed stadium

The stadium was nearly full when Messi entered the field, dressed casually in a green crew-neck T-shirt, black trousers and sports shoes.

Unlike the scenes earlier in the day, there was no scramble or rush.

Messi appeared relaxed and spent close to an hour engaging with fans, moving comfortably through the programme.

Addressing the crowd through a translator, Messi said he was delighted by the warmth and affection shown by fans in Hyderabad.

Football, fans and formalities

Messi was joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul for the GOAT Cup penalty shootout, with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also stepping onto the pitch in football gear.

The players later conducted football clinics for children, adding a grassroots touch to the event.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined the group towards the end of the programme during the felicitation ceremony, where photographs were taken against sponsor backdrops around the ground.

Messi handed over the GOAT Cup to Singareni RR 9, the winners of the seven-a-side exhibition match representing the chief minister’s team.

Revanth Reddy presented a memento to Messi, while Gandhi honoured Suarez with a similar gesture.

Moments with fans and officials

Before appearing on the field, Messi spent time inside the stadium, interacting with officials and viewing photographs displayed along the walls.

He waved to fans from behind a glass barrier and later showcased flashes of the skill and control that have defined his career, juggling and passing the ball alongside Suarez, De Paul and the chief minister.

He then completed a slow walk around the stadium, acknowledging cheering fans throughout.

Kolkata leg marred by disorder

Earlier in the day, the atmosphere in Kolkata had been markedly different.

Nearly 50,000 spectators, many of whom paid between Rs 4,000 and Rs 12,000 for tickets — with some reportedly paying up to Rs 20,000 on the black market — were left frustrated as VVIP movement and security cordons limited their view of Messi.

The situation worsened when bottles were thrown from the stands, despite such items being prohibited inside the stadium.

Food packets were also discovered within the venue, while chairs were uprooted and hurled, causing damage to fibreglass seating and the synthetic track.

Mumbai and Delhi next

Messi will travel to Mumbai on Sunday for the third leg of the GOAT India Tour 2025.

His visit will conclude on Monday in New Delhi, where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bringing the high-profile tour to a close.