"In a rare crossover moment for global sport": BCCI share snippets from Lionel Messi's Delhi event

New Delhi [India], December 15 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared some snippets from Lionel Messi's event at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Monday. The Argentine legend Messi, along with Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, visited Delhi after events in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
During Messi's event in Delhi, ICC chairman Jay Shah presented jerseys of the Indian Cricket team to star footballers. Messi, De Paul and Suarez also met Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and DDCA President Rohan Jaitley.
The Argentine legend and FIFA World Cup-winning player Messi also received a special autographed cricket bat from Jay Shah.
"In a rare crossover moment for global sport, ICC Chairman Jay Shah met football icon Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul and presented them with #TeamIndia jerseys and a signed bat by the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 winning Indian team in New Delhi," BCCI wrote on X.

🏏⚽️ In a rare crossover moment for global sport, ICC Chairman Jay Shah met football icon Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul and presented them with #TeamIndia jerseys and a signed bat by the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 winning Indian team in New Delhi.@JayShah |… pic.twitter.com/C4uJEJBna1

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 15, 2025

The ICC chairman, Shah, also invited Messi to the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 and presented him with the first ticket for the event, making it a standout moment in Messi's final leg of the G.O.A.T. India Tour.

The hottest ticket in town - the ICC Men’s @T20WorldCup starting Feb 7, 2026! Have you got yours yet?

Football superstars Leo Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul met ICC chairman Jay Shah at the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/4yroZoBc0h

— ICC (@ICC) December 15, 2025

After meeting the star footballers in Delhi, ICC chairman Jay Shah said that the crossover of two great sporting cultures will inspire millions of children to play sport.
"It was a great feeling presenting football legend Lionel Messi an invitational ticket of the @ICC Men's @T20WorldCup starting Feb 7 along with a signed bat and a @BCCI team jersey. Hoping this cross-over of two great sporting cultures will inspire millions of children to play sport," Jay Shah wrote on X.

It was a great feeling presenting football legend Lionel Messi an invitational ticket of the @ICC Men's @T20WorldCup starting Feb 7 along with a signed bat and a @BCCI team jersey.

Hoping this cross-over of two great sporting cultures will inspire millions of children to play… pic.twitter.com/ndgIuqwa5P

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) December 15, 2025

Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri shared a heartwarming post on Instagram, describing his emotions after meeting Argentine legend Lionel Messi during his GOAT India Tour event at iconic Wankhede Stadium here.
"The build-up to Saturday was filled with little fights, and in a rare win, Sunil Chhetri the fan beat Sunil Chhetri the pro, and I couldn't be happier about it. I've been nursing an injury that's restricted me to a hobble and needless to say, I don't like being around even myself when I'm spending more time on the physio's table than the pitch," Chhetri's Instagram post read.
The Indian football legend expressed his gratitude to Leo Messi, De Paul and Suarez. Chhetri also thanked Mumbai for making him feel so loved, which he hasn't taken for granted.
"I almost didn't make the trip to Mumbai, till the fan in me rebelled and went anyway. Turned out, meeting the man who makes me very happy, and whose art is my antidote for all the times I am sad, was exactly what I needed. To be able to express my gratitude to Leomessi in person for everything that he has done for our sport, felt like both - a dream and a duty," the post read.
"It was lovely to meet another World Cup winner in Rodrigo De Paul, and then there was the child-like excitement to share the frame with arguably the most complete No.9 of our generation - Luis Suarez. And Mumbai, you absolute beauty, thank you for making me feel so loved. I do not take it for granted. At the end of it, I guess, both the Chhetri's turned up on Saturday and the joy was twice as much," the Instagram post concluded. (ANI)