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

The one and only Lionel Messi is set to visit India in December, and during his time in Mumbai, the Argentine legend is likely to attract a plethora of stars.

Updated on: Aug 1, 2025, 14:25:31 IST

By Vishesh Roy

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

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. As for whether Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni will make an appearance, your guess is as good as ours.

Imagine having Lionel Messi, Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar in the same ground at the same time. (AFP Images)

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.

Also Read: Lionel Messi compared to ‘Michael Jordan, Rafael Nadal’ as Argentine continues sensational MLS form

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.

Messi's October friendly unlikely

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Durand Cup Final Live. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.