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.
The final day of the GOAT India Tour will also see Messi exchanging greetings with two members of the Indian cricket team at the Ferozshah Kotla Stadium.
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.
The TMC and BJP have engaged in a blame game following a chaotic Lionel Messi event at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, which saw spectators storming the field and the main organiser being arrested for alleged mismanagement.
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.
England bagged third place at the World Cup after beating France 6-4 on Saturday, while Les Bleus' captain Kylian Mbappe became the tournament's all-time top scorer with 22 goals on coach Didier Deschamps' last game after 14 years in charge.
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is not scheduled to play serious football on the 'G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025'.
Former India internationals analyse Spain's dominant performance and tactical discipline that led them to the FIFA World Cup final, highlighting their defensive solidity and adaptability.
Former India internationals analyse Spain's dominant performance in the FIFA World Cup, highlighting their tactical discipline and defensive solidity. They also offer divided opinions on the highly anticipated semi-final clash between England and Argentina, discussing key players like Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, and Harry Kane, and the tactical approaches both teams might employ.
MLS enters its 31st season amid World Cup buzz and Lionel Messi's impact, with Don Garber calling it a defining moment for the league's future.
The minister had earlier insisted that the Messi-led Argentina side would visit the state as announced by the government, and that the sponsor had already paid the match fee for the event.
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's return to Barca not realistic, says club president Laporta
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.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi on Saturday virtually unveiled his towering 70-foot statue at Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has sent his signed 2022 World Cup victorious jersey to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 75th birthday.
A record eight players aged 40 or older have been selected to play at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States - one more than at all the past 22 tournaments combined.
Lamine Yamal exploded into view at 16 and became an integral part of Spain's record fourth European Championship triumph in 2024.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1936, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church died on Monday aged 88.
Egypt's players and Coach Hossam Hassan blasted FIFA and accused the governing body of blatantly 'favouring' Lionel Messi and his team.
'They don't allow me to be on the field anymore.'
Argentina's national team unveiled a revamped 31-man squad on Monday, led by Lionel Messi, for the South American qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador for the 2026 World Cup.
Lionel Messi has been suspended for one game after sitting out the MLS All-Star Game without prior approval, the league said on Friday.
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.
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.
'...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.'
Legendary Indian goalkeeper Brahmananda Sankhwalkar reflects on the emotional FIFA World Cup exits of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Junior. He discusses their unfulfilled World Cup dreams, their rivalry with Lionel Messi, and the circumstances of their respective team's eliminations, highlighting their enduring legacy despite the absence of a World Cup trophy.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field on Friday
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has assured the All India Football Federation of full government support to host India's biggest-ever international football fixture against five-time World Cup champions Brazil in Kolkata on October 3. This historic match will be India's first against a top-five FIFA-ranked nation, offering crucial exposure to the national team despite initial concerns over crowd management.
Jose Mourinho praised Kylian Mbappe's relentless hunger to make history at Real Madrid after his hat-trick inspired a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad at Santiago Bernabeu.
Football icon Lionel Messi was in the stands at the Miami Open, watching Novak Djokovic cruise past Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals on Saturday.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni lauded his team's ability to perform under pressure, stating they 'play its best football when it's under pressure' after their dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against England secured a spot in the World Cup final.
Japan's Yuto Nagatomo made history by becoming the first Asian player to feature in five FIFA World Cups during Japan's 1-1 draw against Sweden. This achievement places him among an elite group of players globally. The draw secured both Japan and Sweden's advancement to the Round of 32 in the 2026 tournament.
Cape Verde head into the biggest match in their football history full of belief, with coach Pedro Leitao Brito insisting his side will play "with courage" against defending champions Argentina in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32.
Multi-champions Brazil, Argentina and Germany all won their preparatory games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, although by small margins, with former champion England and hopeful Portugal also securing victories.
The West Bengal government plans to remove the football-themed sculpture outside Salt Lake Stadium, designed by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and upgrade the venue's infrastructure.
Following a dominant group stage performance, Argentina is now preparing to face Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
"Game Set Match... So it's now confirmed and official. World Cup winner Argentine superstar Rodrigo De Paul and Uruguayan and Barcelona legend Luis Surez will join Messi for the 'GOAT Tour to India 2025' Vamos," posted organiser Satadru Dutta on social media.
The FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina garnered nearly 63 million viewers in the United States, setting new viewership records and highlighting football's increasing popularity in the country.
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.
