Lionel Messi's much-hyped visit to the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday lasted 22 minutes, just enough to underline everything that is wrong in Indian football and the state administration's mismanagement.
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Messi is currently at the Mumbai airport and is expected to leave shortly for the final set of engagements, which includes an appearance at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium for a ticketed event.
Argentine football icon Lionel Messi arrived in Hyderabad for the second leg of his GOAT India Tour 2025 on Saturday evening, after a chaotic start to the much-anticipated event in Kolkata.
Sunil Chhetri penned an emotional tribute after meeting his childhood idol Lionel Messi during the Argentine legend's GOAT India Tour event at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium.
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Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is not scheduled to play serious football on the 'G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025'.
'My lasting memory of you is your absolute humility in the face of hardships as well as success.'
Football Supporters Europe accused FIFA of imposing "extortionate" ticket prices that risk shutting ordinary fans out of the World Cup.
Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's touchdown in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy.
Football icon Lionel Messi arrived in Mumbai around noon on Sunday under "World Cup level" security measures, marking the second day of his four-city 'GOAT India Tour 2025'.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is expected to kick off a friendly football match to be attended by legend Lionel Messi during his visit to Hyderabad on December 13.
Tendulkar also hoped that 'India also reaches the height that we all aspire to (in football).'
Lionel Messi's brief appearance in Kolkata was marred by security breaches and crowd management issues, raising concerns about planning and coordination. Eyewitness accounts and social media footage reveal a chaotic scene with organizers and VIPs crowding the player, leading to his early withdrawal and subsequent protests.
Lionel Messi's GOAT Tour began amid chaos and vandalism at the Salt Lake Stadium, but for former India players Dipendu Biswas and Syed Rahim Nabi, it still turned into the moment of a lifetime in Kolkata on Saturday.
While most fans were left disappointed at the stadium, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan did get his moment with the football legend.
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This is India's first technology-driven residential football training centre exclusively for girls, the company has claimed.
Lots to look forward to in Indian sports as packed 2026 calender awaits
From Royal Challengers Bengaluru's historic first IPL title to star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finally breaking the iconic 90-meter mark to India women winning their first cricket World Cup, this was the year of long-awaited victories and record-breaking feats.
Ichhapur tea-seller Shib Shankar Patra is one of two diehard fans handpicked for a special meet-and-greet with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.
Messi has been accompanied throughout the tour by Luis Surez and Rodrigo De Paul. During his Mumbai visit, the football icon met Parth Jindal, owner of Bengaluru FC and co-owner of Delhi Capitals.
FIFA on Saturday launched its first talent academy for youngsters in India in collaboration with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), aiming to provide advanced training to talented footballers in the country.
No headway in meeting between AIFF and FSDL
2025 had some interesting performances on OTT series and films. Deepa Gahlot picks the Top 10 Male OTT Performances.
Lionel Messi's programme in Hyderabad was in stark contrast to the mayhem in Kolkata as the second leg of the GOAT India Tour ended on a positive note thanks to thorough preparations, sound planning, and discipline.
Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli were spotted at Delhi airport on Sunday morning after flying in from Mumbai, with the couple's arrival immediately sparking buzz around Lionel Messi's ongoing GOAT India Tour.
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Angry fans hurled bottles and damaged fibreglass seats, forcing the police to intervene as they struggled to bring the situation under control at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
The chief organizer of the Lionel Messi football event at Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata, where chaos erupted, has been remanded to 14-day police custody. The arrest follows allegations of mismanagement during Messi's appearance, which led to widespread frustration and vandalism among spectators.
Lionel Messi's final stop on his G.O.A.T India Tour produced a memorable crossover moment between football and cricket in New Delhi on Monday.
They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
Urban Negi, a highly-rated nine-year-old Indian-origin footballer, has signed with Everton FC's Under-9 Youth Academy.
England racked up an eighth successive victory against Wales with a 3-0 cruise in an international friendly at Wembley on Thursday.
From leading a lively reading circle to planting trees with digital IDs and joining a fiery one-touch football drill, David Beckham had a ball with the kids.
Divya Deshmukh not only became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women's World Cup, she also instantly secured the prestigious Grandmaster title.
Captain Dangmei Grace struck a brace as Sreebhumi FC registered a resounding 4-0 win over Gokulam Kerala FC in an Indian Women's League match, in Kalyani, on Wednesday.
The PMAs, which represent competing national teams and manage dedicated fan ticket programmes, will handle the ticket allocation process.
Twelve Indian Super League (ISL) clubs on Thursday urged the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to amend the "commercially restrictive" clauses of its constitution during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on December 20, in another reminder that the domestic game may collapse if immediate steps are not taken.
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