The journey began amid chaos in Kolkata and ended in sheer admiration. After captivating Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai, Lionel Messi along with Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul wrapped up his India tour. At the very end, his itinerary was suddenly extended as he was flown to Vantara, where images of Messi bowing before a deity went viral. Following the end of the much-talked-about “GOAT Tour,” the Argentine legend shared an emotional post what did he say about Kolkata?
Messi posted a video on social media that included footage from the unveiling of his 70-foot statue in Kolkata, though there was no clip of his arrival at the Salt Lake Stadium. Instead, the video highlighted moments from Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi, where he dazzled audiences on stage. It also featured his meetings with Sanjiv Goenka, Kareena Kapoor, and Sachin Tendulkar, along with heartwarming moments spent with young fans.
In his caption, Messi wrote: “Namaste India! Visiting Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata was an amazing experience. I truly appreciate the warm welcome, hospitality, and love. I hope the future of Indian football will be bright.” In the video message, he added, “Thank you all for the immense love over the past few days. Honestly, this has been a wonderful experience for us. The tour was very short, but the affection we received was overwhelming. I knew I would get love here, but experiencing it firsthand was special.”
Messi further said, “What you all did for us in the last few days was truly impressive calling it madness wouldn’t be an exaggeration. We will definitely return someday. Maybe next time we’ll come to play a match, or for another reason but we will be back. Thank you once again.”
At the final stop in Vantara, Messi received not only a grand welcome but also surprises. In his honor, Anant Ambani and Radhika Ambani named a lion cub at Vantara “Lionel.” Messi was also taken to the temple inside the Vantara complex, where he offered prayers according to Hindu rituals. Wearing a rudraksha necklace, he was seen bowing his head in reverence, accompanied by his teammates Suárez and De Paul, all holding offerings during the prayer ceremony.
