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Lionel Messi’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi was cancelled today. Here’s the reason.
PM Narendra Modi (L) was set to meet Lionel Messi today.
(FILE)
Lionel Messi was supposed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday as part of the last leg of his GOAT tour of India. However, the meeting was cancelled on Sunday (December 14) as the Prime Minister began a four-day visit to Oman, Ethiopia, and Jordan to discuss bilateral ties.
As per reports, a 21-minute protocol had been planned for Messi’s meeting with PM Modi. The confirmation of cancellation only came on Monday morning, when Messi’s flight from Mumbai to Delhi was already delayed by almost two hours due to fog and bad weather.
“Today, I am embarking on a three-nation visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and the Sultanate of Oman, three nations with which India shares both age-old civilizational ties, as well as extensive contemporary bilateral relations,” the PM said in a statement before leaving India.
Now, once in Delhi to conclude his three-day tour — which involved ceremonies in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai — Messi will meet Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
Then, Messi will travel to the Arun Jaitley Stadium, receive a grand musical welcome, watch a celebrity football match, take part in a football clinic with children, exchange gifts with Indian cricketers, and present the trophy to the winning team. Virat Kohli is set to be present here.
His evening includes an Adidas event at Purana Quila and a meeting with leading Indian sporting champions, including likely Rohit Sharma, before he departs for the airport later in the evening, with his flight scheduled for 8 PM.
Messi Day 1 and 2 Recap
Messi’s India tour got off to a turbulent start, with chaotic scenes in Kolkata forcing his scheduled visit to Salt Lake Stadium to be curtailed after disappointed fans, unable to catch a clear glimpse of the Argentine star, sparked unrest and vandalism.
The mood shifted on Day 1 itself when Messi travelled to Hyderabad, where he received a warm welcome, interacted with supporters, and took part in a friendly football session alongside fans and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, reviving the festive atmosphere.
Day 2 unfolded smoothly in Mumbai, as Messi spent an hour at a packed Wankhede Stadium with icons Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Chhetri, engaging with young footballers, taking a lap of honour and soaking in deafening chants from the crowd.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 15, 2025, 15:57 IST
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