Lionel Messi might ditch football boots for cricket match with Rohit, Sachin after Wankhede visit confirmed for December – Hindustan Times

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Argentina superstar Lionel Messi is all set to visit Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in December 2025, and if all goes according to plan, he might ditch his football boots for a bat and ball. Yes, you read that right. The organisers are working out logistics to possibly get Messi to play a cricket match against some of the biggest Indian superstars, such as Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar. Whether Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni will make an appearance, your guess is as good as ours.
Considering Rohit and Tendulkar live in Mumbai, the duo might make an appearance at the Wankhede for a meeting with Messi if their schedule allows. Sources within the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) confirmed to The Hindustan Times that Messi would indeed visit the iconic venue on December 14.
Messi is expected to visit India from December 13-15. The Inter Miami star will also travel to Delhi and Kolkata. This would be Messi’s second visit to India. He had earlier visited the country in 2011 when Argentina played a friendly match against Venezuela at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.
“Yes, Lionel Messi will be visiting the Wankhede Stadium on December 14. The finalisation of logistics is well and truly underway. There are plans for organising a cricket match with some of the biggest names in India. The complete schedule will be made public once there is confirmation on the logistics and schedule,” a top MCA official told HT.
Earlier, Kerala’s Sports Minister V Abdurahiman had revealed that Messi would be visiting the state with the rest of the Argentina football team for a friendly game in October. This was confirmed after the state government reached an agreement with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) to host two games in Kerala.
That seems unlikely at this stage that this plan will go ahead. Messi is one of the most popular football stars in India. The 38-year-old is currently playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS). He was part of Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad in 2022 after his side defeated France in a thrilling final.
Messi is also expected to play in the next edition of the FIFA World Cup, set to be played in the USA next year. Over his glorious career, Messi has won eight Ballon d’Ors. He has been named as the world’s best player by FIFA on eight occasions. He has more than 850 goals to his name. Apart from this, he has also provided more than 375 assists for his club and country.

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