Lionel Messi Hugged Sunil Chhetri and Gave His Jersey — India Fans Go Crazy!

The moment that recently took place and changed the history of football forever, the living football god Lionel Messi, gave a giant hug to India’s very own football star, Sunil Chhetri, and donated his Argentina jersey to him. The action taken at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai not only amazed the spectators but also went out of the internet.

Messi’s arrival to India on December 13 was for the planned G. O. A. T tour and the long-awaited one, but his initial transfer to Kolkata didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to be. Poor event management turned thousands of fans who had gathered in Salt Lake Stadium merely to get a peek of the great artist into disappointed. Not many got to see him, and when the frustration erupted plus the chaos, Messi’s team had to work hard to bring the situation down.

Not giving up on the fun, Messi along with Inter Miami shooting star Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul took off to Hyderabad where the political leaders couldn’t wait to meet them including Congress LOP Rahul Gandhi and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy. They also had a great time taking part in the G. O. A. T penalty shootout, which was a really fun event for both fans and players.

But the spotlight was on Mumbai. At Wankhede Stadium, the fans were unbelievably treated with something different. Messi was saying hellos to cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and India’s football glory, Sunil Chhetri. Sachin gave Messi his awesome 2011 World Cup-winning jersey, and Messi reciprocated the same with a replica of the one used in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup victory.

And then came the unforgettable moment for the fans. Messi turned his back to the cameras, the audience, and everybody else — and embraced Sunil Chhetri. He smiled and took off his Argentina jersey, which was meant for India’s greatest player in football. The audience cheered massively, and the moment went instantly viral, signifying respect, brotherhood, and ultimate love for the game.

Messi’s tour of India will complete in Delhi on December 15, which will be the end of his adventure but the beginning of new timeless moments. The program consists of:

Arrival: Sunday morning from Mumbai

• G. O. A. T Cup Exhibition Match: Arun Jaitley Stadium at 1:30 PM (Gates open at 11:30 AM), where Minerva Academy U14 and U15 teams play a 9v9 match
• Private Meet-and-Greet: Around 4:30 PM with PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and other top officials
• Special Guests: Cricket star Virat Kohli and other sports personalities