Lionel Messi could soon trade his football boots for cricket spikes in what promises to be one of the most star-studded crossover spectacles in Indian sport.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the Argentine icon is expected to play in a seven-a-side cricket match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on 14 December potentially alongside and against the likes of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
Organisers are in the process of finalising the logistics of the event, which is being planned as part of Messi’s promotional visit to India. It is understood that a leading event management company has requested the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to reserve the Wankhede ground for the date.
“Messi will be at Wankhede Stadium on 14 December. He is likely to play a cricket match, too, with former and current cricketers. The organisers will come up with a complete schedule once everything is finalised,” an MCA official told The Indian Express.
The event could also feature cricketing legends Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma. Though the format is expected to be an exhibition-style seven-a-side game, it is the star power of Messi, Dhoni and Kohli sharing the same pitch that has generated early excitement.
Messi’s visit, scheduled from 13 to 15 December, will likely include stops in New Delhi and Kolkata as well. This will be his second trip to India, 14 years after his 2011 appearance in a friendly for Argentina against Venezuela at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata.
Earlier this year, Kerala’s Sports Minister V Abdurahiman had announced that the Argentina national football team would play two friendlies in the state this October, as part of an agreement between the Kerala government and the Argentina Football Association. However, those plans are now believed to be on hold.
Currently 38, Messi plays for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami and is reportedly preparing for one final FIFA World Cup campaign in 2026, after captaining Argentina to glory in Qatar in 2022.