Top 10 football personalities to visit India

A list of some of the legendary names who visited India over the years.

The football fans in India are one of the most passionate and expressive fans of the ‘World’s Game’. Despite only garnering global attention after the inauguration of the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2013, the country was always popular among the sport’s iconic players.

Famously touted by FIFA president Gianni Infantino as the ‘sleeping giant’, India has seen its fair share of football’s greatest players visits the subcontinent. From a certain little magician to the revered Baby-Faced Assassin, the country has been visited by many of football’s greatest players.

Here’s a list of some of the legendary players who visited the country to either play football or for promotional or noble causes.

10. Ole Gunnar Solksjaer

In February 2024, the legendary Norwegian striker visited India as part of a three-city tour of Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. The event was organized by Manchester United fan Tilak Gaurang Shah at his celebratory location where the club’s memorabilia was also auctioned.

While it was a closed fan event, fans of the Red Devils got a chance to interact with Solksjaer, who is known for his stoppage-time-winning goal against Bayern Munich in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final. It was his first and only trip to India and he described it as an ‘adventure’ that he was looking forward to since the invitation.

9. Gary Neville

The legendary Manchester United full-back Gary Neville visited India in October 2024 as part of the United We Play initiative with Apollo Tyres in collaboration with Manchester United. A member of the 1999 treble-winning Manchester United side, Neville provided sage advice to young players from India, Thailand and Nepal.

The Englishman also encouraged the young aspiring footballers to work on their skills, develop a good work ethic and remain determined in their journey to play at the highest level. While it was a brief visit to the country, Neville emphasized the need for proper education and looking for a life beyond sports.

8. Arsène Wenger

The former Arsenal FC legendary manager visited India in 2023 as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development as part of a four-day tour. The aim of the visit was to kick off the ground-breaking Talent Development Scheme (TDS) in the country. It was a significant moment in FIFA’s efforts to grow the game and raise standards around the world in countries like India.

Wenger wanted the TDS to complement the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Vision 2047 in partnership with the Indian Super League, the I-League, leading clubs, academies and the regional state associations. While working to unlock the talent potential in the country,  the Frenchman also met with AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey and his senior executives.

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7. Zinedine Zidane

In 2016, the former 1998 World Cup and Euros-winning footballer visited India on a clandestine tour of the golden triangle of tourism of the states of Jaipur, Agra and Delhi. ‘Zizou’ made the surprise trip in 2016 in the middle of that year’s UEFA Euro championship which saw his native team, France, reach the Euros final. Another reason for his visit in 2016 was because of an invitation from a real estate company called Kanakia Spaces Realty Pvt. Ltd to promote a French-styled residential project in Mumbai.

The project’s landscape designer knew the legendary footballer, who was keen to visit the country despite the sweltering heat in his targeted spots.

6. David Beckham

The English footballing icon visited India in 2023 in his role as UNICEF’s goodwill ambassador while also attending the India-New Zealand 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup game at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Beckham was seen playing football with Indian cricketing icon Virat Kohli and also spoke at length with the cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder was also seen rubbing shoulders with the Bollywood celebrities in Mumbai. While this was his first visit to India, it was jam-packed for the Englishman who received plenty of fanfare when he was at the Wankhede stadium.

He also indulged in culinary Indian dishes during his trip and encapsulated his experience while stating his desire to visit the county again shortly.

5. Thierry Henry

During the 2016-2017 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign, the French icon visited India on a two-day trip. The then-assistant coach of the Belgian national team attended an ISL match between Atletico de Kolkata and Mumbai City FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium.

During his time, the former World Cup winner also attended a grassroots football event with Arsenal Soccer School and Reliance Foundation Young Champs.

While talking about Indian football in 2016, he stated, “It helps massively when you have such people in the league. What helps more is if you can develop young Indian players who can play alongside these footballing greats and learn about the game.”

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4. Ronaldinho

The legendary Brazilian footballer visited the country in October 2023 as part of a two-day trip. The 2005 Ballon D’or winner inaugurated a branch of his R10 academy in Merlin Rise, Rajarhat, Kolkata on October 16. The World Cup-winning winger also inaugurated the Sreebhumi Durga Puja Pandal in Kolkata and took part in the aarti of the main deity.

While it was his first trip to Kolkata, the Brazilian icon had visited India before. Back in 2017, Ronaldinho played in the Premier Futsal tournament for Goa and even pitched in with five goals in his game against Bengaluru in the tournament.

3. Pelé

On September 24, 1977, one of football’s legendary icons, Pelé, playing for New York Cosmos, visited Kolkata for a historic friendly match against Mohun Bagan, one of India’s oldest football clubs. The match which was played at Eden Gardens, a stadium usually reserved for cricket, brought the football-crazy city to a standstill. Over 80,000 fans were in attendance, with many more crowding the streets to catch a glimpse of the Brazilian superstar.

Pelé, who was 37 at the time, was famous for having won three World Cups by then. The atmosphere in the Eden Gardens was reportedly electrified as fans cheered and waved banners in Pele’s honor. The match which ended in a 2-2 draw, with Mohun Bagan’s iconic players like Shyam Thapa and Subrata Bhattacharya holding the New York Cosmos, the Brazilian icon was a shadow of his former self.

Despite not scoring, Pele’s presence alone mesmerized the crowd and his visit remains a significant chapter in Kolkata’s football history. He returned to the country two more times in 2015 and 2018, as chief guest for the Subroto Cup and another honorary event organized by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

2. Diego Maradona

Nicknamed El Pibe de Oro (The Golden Boy), Maradona visited India three times in his lifetime and wooed fans and spectators alike in the process. His first trip was a two-day visit to India’s football capital, Kolkata in 2008, where he inaugurated the Indian Football School in Maheshtala. During the trip, the Argentine also played a 10-minute game with the Mohan Bagan junior team and paid a visit to former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu.

In 2012, Maradona again visited India, however this time he went to Kerala for a jewelry shop inauguration in Kannur for Chemmanur Jewelers. While the trip was only for 2 days, it was memorable for every fan who got a chance to witness the World Cup-winning football legend in live and living color.

His final visit to India was in 2017 when he visited Kolkata and played a friendly game with cricket icon Sourav Ganguly. While he was not able to play in the game due to an injury he suffered on his hand, the state fell in love with him all over again. The Argentine legend also visited a nearby footballing academy while sharing his vision of uplifting Indian football in 2017.

1. Lionel Messi

One of the greatest players of his generation, Messi played an international friendly at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata in 2011. His Argentina side faced Venezuela in an international friendly match that ended in a 1-0 win for the La Albiceleste. While he didn’t score a goal in the game, the fans in the state went absolute when Messi’s corner kick resulted in Nicolas Otamendi heading home the winner in the 67th minute.

The game is remembered for Messi’s elusive and crafty dribbling runs which saw him switched direction effortlessly. The Venezuelan defenders were left befuddled by the Little Magician’s tricks and had to constantly foul him to stop his progress.

As a global football icon, Messi enjoys an immense fan following in India, a country traditionally dominated by cricket. Among his Indian admirers, Kerala stands out as a hotspot for Messi mania, where football has long been a beloved sport. Reportedly the Little Magician along with the La Albiceleste are set to visit the county in 2025 for a friendly match.

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