World Cup winners, iconic number 10s, and GOATs of two different sports -- football legend Lionel Messi and cricket great Sachin Tendulkar -- came together in one frame at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. Following a chaotic experience in Kolkata the previous day, Messi’s ongoing three-day, four-city GOAT tour of India found its rhythm again in Hyderabad and Mumbai. The crowd, which had gathered at the stadium since the afternoon, erupted with excitement as Messi, Sachin, and India’s football great Sunil Chhetri shared the stage at different points during the event. Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez, received a gift from Sachin -- the former Indian skipper’s iconic jersey from the 2011 Cricket World Cup -- in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Sachin described it as a “golden moment for Mumbai and India,” and the fans’ reaction reaffirmed the great batter’s words, with chants of “Messi… Messi… Sachin… Sachin” rising from every corner of the stadium. Photo: X 

Angry spectators broke down barricades and stormed the pitch at a stadium in India after football star Lionel Messi, who is on a three-day tour of the country, abruptly left the arena.

Scenes of chaos unfolded at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Friday as Lionel Messi was forced to leave the venue barely 20 minutes after arriving, following crowd unrest and a breakdown in security arrangements.

Lionel Messi’s India visit began in Kolkata on Friday, where the Argentine legend met Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan in a crossover moment that lit up social media and thrilled fans across fandoms.

Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday for a three-day tour, and the excitement surrounding the Argentina legend’s arrival led some fans to take extraordinary measures, including booking rooms at his hotel in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Argentine superstar, according to Indian media reports.

Argentine football icon Lionel Messi received a thunderous welcome on his arrival in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday, marking the start of his three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025, according to Indian media reports.

The 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar will unveil the monument virtually rather than in person for security reasons.

Messi became the first player to win back-to-back MLS MVP awards and only the second player in the league to capture two MVP awards after Preki in 1997 and 2003.

Argentine police raided national football headquarters and several top clubs Tuesday, in a sweeping money-laundering probe just months before the world champions defend their title.

Messi notched a pair of assists as Inter Miami captured their first MLS Cup title with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps. Messi, who also was named the MLS Cup MVP, set up Rodrigo de Paul in the 71st minute and Tadeo Allende in second-half stoppage time.

"This is the the moment that I've been waiting for, and that we as a team have been waiting for," Messi, named MLS Cup Most Valuable Player, said afterwards.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the world champions will stick to the same winning formula that delivered glory at the Qatar 2022 World Cup after on Friday finding out their group opponents for next year's global tournament.

Reigning champions Argentina will face Algeria, Austria and first-time qualifiers Jordan in their 2026 World Cup group, according to the draw made in Washington on Friday.

As well as the 2014 World Cup final, Mueller's wins over Messi include Bayern Munich's 8-2 humiliation of Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2020.

Miami will host the winner of the Western Conference final, which is being played between San Diego FC and Vancouver Whitecaps later on Saturday.

Miami coach Javier Mascherano lavished praise on Messi and his team-mates after a performance he described as near-perfection.

UEFA has given Barcelona the go-ahead to play Champions League matches at their partially rebuilt Camp Nou stadium, the La Liga giants said on Wednesday.

Football icon Lionel Messi created the first goal and scored the second as world champions Argentina beat Angola 2-0 in an international friendly in Luanda on Friday.

The president, who was in charge at the time of Messi's departure, said he did not regret what happened because "Barca is above everything".

Reflecting on what another World Cup would mean, Messi called it “special.”