- KR Bharat
- 2025-12-16
GOAT India Tour: Lionel Messi’s Meeting with PM Modi Called Off — Here’s Why
Lionel Messi was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi during the final leg of his GOAT India Tour. However, the much-anticipated meeting was cancelled at the last minute due to scheduling constraints.
Prime Minister Modi began his four-day official visit to Oman, Ethiopia, and Jordan on Monday to hold discussions on bilateral ties. Coincidentally, the same day marked Messi’s final stop in New Delhi as part of his India tour.
According to reports, Messi’s flight from Mumbai to New Delhi was delayed by nearly two hours owing to dense fog and adverse weather conditions. A 21-minute protocol had reportedly been planned for the football icon’s meeting with the Prime Minister, but the delay made it unfeasible.
Despite the cancellation of the meeting with PM Modi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is scheduled to meet several top Indian dignitaries, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner is concluding his three-day India tour in the national capital. Messi began his celebrated visit in Kolkata, followed by stops in Hyderabad and Mumbai, before arriving in New Delhi.
