Meeting Argentine football icon Lionel Messi during his GOAT India Tour was “a dream and duty” for former India striker Sunil Chhetri as he almost missed the event due to injury.
Chhetri, who recently retired from international competition as the fourth highest scorer in history with 95 goals, met Messi during the World Cup-winning captaincy’s third leg in Mumbai on Sunday. Messi is second in the list with 115 goals.
The former India captain described Messi as the player whose ‘art’ on a football field acted as an ‘antidote’ when he felt sad.
“To be able to personally thank @leomessi for everything he has done for our sport felt like both a dream and a duty,” Chhetri wrote on his Instagram page.
READ ALSO | Sports Minister Aroop Biswas offers resignation after chaos in Calcutta
“I’m dealing with an injury that limits me to bumps and needless to say, I don’t even like spending more time on the physio table than on the pitch.
«I almost didn’t make the trip to Mumbai until the fan in me revolted and went anyway. It turned out that meeting the man who makes me very happy, and whose art is my antidote to all the times I’m sad, was exactly what I needed.» Messi spent time chatting with Chhetri and even presented him with his Argentina jersey.
The Indian football star was also cheered by the fans at the Wankhede Stadium with chants of “Chhetri… Chhetri” during the practice football match and other activities in which he took part.
Chhetri also expressed his satisfaction at meeting Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, who made the trip to India with Messi.
“It was wonderful to meet another World Cup winner in Rodrigo De Paul, and then there was the childlike excitement of sharing the frame with perhaps the most complete number 9 of our generation: Luis Suarez.
«And Mumbai, you absolute beauty, thank you for making me feel so loved. I don’t take it for granted.» Chhetri said he had to fight with himself over whether he would travel to Mumbai to meet Messi or not.
“The build-up to Saturday was filled with small battles, and in a rare win, Sunil Chhetri, the fan, defeated Sunil Chhetri, the pro, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
“In the end, I think both Chhetris came along on Saturday and the joy was twice as great.”
Published on December 16, 2025
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(745x134:747x136)/sydney-sweeney-marilyn-monroe-121625-2-7709efef1eac4d31a31edc2168a16af7.jpg?w=238&resize=238,178&ssl=1 "Sydney Sweeney habla de Marilyn Monroe en el estreno de ‘The Housemaid’ en Los Ángeles")
