Hyderabad delivered the perfect footballing spectacle on Saturday night as Lionel Messi lit up the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, offering fans a sharply contrasting experience to the chaos that had unfolded earlier in Kolkata.
Between 9 and 13 December, the Argentina Football Fans Club of Kolkata is turning Aikatan, a cultural hub just a short walk from Salt Lake Stadium, into a full-blown Messi fan zone, drenched in Argentina's blue and white.
Messi confirms Hyderabad stop on GOAT Tour
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.
Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's touchdown in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy.
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.
The police in Kolkata have arrested the organiser of the event surrounding Argentine footballer Lionel Messi's visit to the Salt Lake Stadium after chaos broke out when the superstar stayed only for a few minutes and was not visible to most fans in attendance.
Lit fests in India have become vibrant cultural celebrations across India, bringing together celebrated authors, emerging voices, poets, thinkers and passionate readers, many of them very young, under one lively roof.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) issued a statement clarifying that Lionel Messi's event in Kolkata was a private event organised by a PR agency and the federation was not involved in the "planning or execution" of the event at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
Sreenidi Deccan FC defeated Diamond Harbour FC 1-0 in an Indian Football League match, with Fabrice Kah scoring the decisive goal and Aryan Niraj Lamba saving a penalty.
Indian men's football team captain Sandesh Jhingan on Wednesday questioned the logic of spending crores on Lionel Messi's high-profile 'GOAT Tour', saying the extravagance has forced him to think if anyone is really concerned about investing in Indian football, which has effectively come to a standstill.
In India's fast-growing urban sprawl, much frustrating time is often lost behind steering wheels.
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.
A newly-married couple in Kolkata revealed that they cancelled their honeymoon to catch a glimpse of Messi in Kolkata.
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.
Media reports in the UK claim that Indian-owned franchises plan to avoid signing Pakistan's player in the auction next month, fearing severe backlash by fans back home in India.
Jammu and Kashmir's head coach Ajay Sharma attributes their historic Ranji Trophy final entry to teamwork and a 'Sholay'-like spirit, highlighting the team's self-belief and the emergence of fast-bowling talent like Auqib Nabi.
All eyes will be on Shubman Gill when Ranji Trophy resumes on Thursday after India's Test and ODI captain decided against taking a break and opting to turn up for Punjab against Saurashtra in a key Group B clash in Rajkot.
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is not scheduled to play serious football on the 'G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025'.
How does the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's budget compare with the budget of other Indian cities?
It isn't easy for a girl from Gopal Nagar to chase a dream. But Pinky was extremely determined. A force unto herself, she was going to go places. Literally. Till it abruptly ended one morning on the tarmac at Baramati airport.
Yet to receive any response from ICC: BCB chief Bulbul
IndiGo has vacated over 700 slots at various domestic airports after the DGCA curtailed its winter flights by 10% following operational disruptions in December. Other airlines are invited to request these slots.
Two persons have died after an outbreak of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), an immunological nerve disorder, in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district, prompting the government to launch a drive to identify patients and ensure their treatment, officials said.
'In this situation, until further notice, it is requested by order to stop the broadcasting/telecasting of all matches and programs of the Indian Premier League (IPL).'
KKR acquired the left-arm pacer for Rs 9.20 crore (Rs 92 million) at last month's IPL mini auction in Abu Dhabi, making him the most expensive Bangladeshi player in IPL history.
'Four other teams bid for him and KKR outbid everyone, that is a different story. And if he was included in the auction, it was BCCI's call. Removing a player will not make any difference...'
Indian spin wizard Kuldeep Yadav opens up about meeting Argentina football icon Lionel Messi during the latter's visit to the national capital as a part of his 'GOAT India Tour 2025'.
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'.
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.
Derby in Super Cup group stage as Mohun Bagan, East Bengal drawn together
Housing sales fell 1 per cent last year to over 3.48 lakh units across eight major cities, with demand stagnating amid an average price rise of up to 19 per cent, according to Knight Frank. In a virtual press conference on Wednesday, real estate consultant Knight Frank India noted that the decline in interest rates on home loans, strong economic growth and lower inflation were some of the key factors that helped in sustaining the housing demand during the 2025 calendar year despite fears of an impending correction.
'Instant home services act as an on-demand household support system, bridging the gap between informal domestic help and structured service platforms,'
'...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.'
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.
Messi, accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates Luis Surez and Rodrigo De Paul, was accorded a traditional welcome, featuring folk music, floral greetings and a ceremonial 'Aarti'.
Satadru Dutta's rise was swift and ambitious. But that journey took a dramatic nosedive on Saturday.
Lionel Messi's much-anticipated 'GOAT Tour to India 2025' just got bigger with Hyderabad added as the new southern leg stop to ensure fans in the region are not "deprived" of seeing their idol following the cancellation of Argentina's proposed friendly in Kerala.
The announcement comes a day after the state government proposed renaming a prominent stretch of road, running alongside the US consulate general, in Hyderabad as Donald Trump Avenue.
Kolkata Thunderbolts returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Hyderabad Black Hawks in the Primer Volleyball League match in Hyderabad on Monday.
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