Lionel Messi to visit India for cricket match against Kohli, Dhoni & Tendulkar at Wankhede Stadium in December: Report

The Argentine last visited India in 2011.

Argentina’s iconic football star, Lionel Messi, who is considered by many to be among the best in history, will be visiting the Wankhede Stadium on December 14 – great news for football fans in India, according to TOI.

After approving organisers Wizcraft earlier this week, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) confirmed that Argentine football legend Messi will make a much-anticipated debut at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on December 14.

Messi’s first trip to the country in more than ten years is said to include this stop in Mumbai as part of a quick three-city Indian tour from December 13 to 15.

Lionel Messi expected to visit three Indian cities

According to the same source, Messi’s visit may begin in Kolkata, where he will be honoured at Eden Gardens. The day will include a ceremonial seven-a-side football match called the “GOAT Cup,” as well as a workshop and a football clinic for local youngsters aimed at promoting football at the grassroots level in the nation. Messi will conclude his journey with an event in Delhi following the celebration in Mumbai.

Messi to play cricket with Indian stars

“Messi will be at Wankhede Stadium on December 14. He is likely to play a cricket match, too, with former and current cricketers. The organisers will come up with a complete schedule once everything is finalised,” a MCA source told The Indian Express.

There are also plans for Messi to play cricket with the greats Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni after the football seminars are finished.

This encounter is expected to be a seven-a-side match, and if everything goes according to plan, even Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar will play.

When did Lionel Messi last visit India?

Messi last visited India in September 2011, when a young Argentina team played a friendly match against Venezuela at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

Messi’s appearance aligns with long-standing rumours that the Argentina national team would play a friendly in October or November 2025 at Kerala’s Greenfield Stadium.

Due in part to financial and scheduling issues, official confirmation is still awaited.

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