The Wankhede Stadium, no stranger to history, found a new place for itself in Indian sporting folklore on Sunday when Lionel Messi and Sachin Tendulkar shared centre stage in Mumbai — a meeting few thought they would ever witness on the same field.
On the third stop of his four-city GOAT India tour, Messi spent a little over an hour at the iconic venue, soaking in the adulation of a packed house that once roared India to World Cup glory in 2011. This time, the chants of 'Messi… Messi' rang out across the stands long before the Argentine great stepped onto the turf.
Accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo de Paul, Messi walked out shortly after Tendulkar arrived around 5.45 pm. For perhaps the first time at the Wankhede, the familiar “Sachin… Sachin” chant briefly took a back seat. But only briefly.
When Tendulkar was finally invited to share the stage with Messi, the decibel levels surged again, reminding everyone whose home this stadium has always been.
"I have spent some incredible moments here. A number of dreams have seen the finish line on this very venue. And without your support, we would never have seen those golden moments on this ground in 2011 (cricket World Cup)," Tendulkar told the crowd.
"And today, having all three of them here is indeed a golden moment for Mumbai, Mumbaikars and India.
"When it comes to Leo, what does one talk about him? He has achieved everything. We really admire his dedication, determination, commitment."
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the launch of ‘Project Maha-Deva’, a state-wide initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing young footballing talent. He later welcomed Messi, Suárez and de Paul with bouquets, presenting the Argentine maestro with a memento.
For long stretches, the atmosphere felt less Mumbai and more Camp Nou. Chants of 'Barca… Barca' and 'Suarez… Suarez' echoed through the stands as Messi interacted with youngsters, celebrities and former India football captain Sunil Chhetri.
Messi also presented Chhetri with his Argentina jersey and spent time with players from Mitra Stars and India Stars, who featured in a 7-a-side exhibition match. Chhetri, recently retired from international football with 94 goals for India, was cheered heartily every time he appeared on the big screen.
Dressed casually in a white T-shirt and black track pants, Messi walked the red carpet amid deafening noise from fans who had filled the stadium hours in advance. Alongside Suárez and de Paul, he kicked balls into the stands, waved to the crowd and took a lap of honour — a moment many will remember for a lifetime.
The trio also spent time with young players under Project Maha-Deva, playing across both ends of the centre square, much to the delight of the spectators seated in stands named after Indian greats — Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Vengsarkar and Merchant.
The evening also saw a touching exchange between the two icons. Tendulkar presented Messi with an autographed India limited-overs jersey bearing the No. 10 -- a number both legends made their own -- while Messi gifted the batting maestro a football. The two were seen in quiet conversation, away from the noise, sharing a moment that needed no words.
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