Lionel Messi lit up the Arun Jaitley Stadium as the final leg of his G.O.A.T India Tour got underway in Delhi on Monday.
The Argentine icon shared smiles, played rondo and signed jerseys with Minerva Academy youngsters, fulfilling dreams along the way.
Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul joined the fun.
Earlier, Messi’s arrival at The Leela Palace sparked huge excitement as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the World Cup winner.
Unforgettable day for fans
For Amog and Arnav Purohit, the Feroz Shah Kotla on Monday was never just another stop on the map. It was a pilgrimage.
The brothers were among the thousands of spectators at the venue, their eyes fixed on the ground, phones in hand to record the moment.
For years, Messi had lived on their screens, late-night kick-offs, whispered celebrations, and heartbreaks endured together. Seeing him in the flesh, even briefly, felt unreal.
"This was a dream come true moment for us," Amog said, still trying to process "Watching him live... ideally, we would have liked to see him play, but unfortunately, that couldn't happen."
Messi's visit was fleeting. Too fleeting, perhaps, for fans who had travelled across states and countries. The crowd waited for around five hours and then the Argentine icon was gone almost as quickly as he arrived.
"The crowd management could have been better. He was here for a really short time," Amog added, the disappointment tempered by perspective.
"We had planned to go for his Kerala match. Money was never a problem."
Arnav's journey was more literal. He flew in from Bengaluru with his partner, carving time out of work to live life for a moment that mattered.
"I flew from Bangalore specially for this," he said. "My brother and I have been Messi fans for a really long time. For him we can do anything."
There was no goal to celebrate, no left-footed curler to replay endlessly. Yet, as they stood in line to board the metro there was no regret, only quiet satisfaction.
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