Hyderabad: Football legend Lionel Messi is on a three day visit to India, drawing massive attention from fans across the country. His first stop in Kolkata, however, was marked by crowd mismanagement and controversy, which attracted criticism internationally. In contrast, Hyderabad handled Messi’s visit smoothly, with well-organised events and disciplined fan engagement, earning praise from football lovers.
On December 14, Messi arrived at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium, where he was welcomed by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, Indian football star Sunil Chhetri, and several celebrities. Messi also took part in the launch of Maharashtra’s Project Mahadeva, a state-level football development initiative.
The event later grabbed headlines for an unexpected reason. Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, was seen taking multiple selfies with Messi in a viral video. She was also spotted chewing gum while posing with Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Luis Suarez. This triggered sharp criticism from Messi fans, who called her behavior disrespectful.
Several fans questioned her presence on the ground and accused her of repeatedly disturbing Messi for selfies. Some also alleged that Rodrigo De Paul was asked to move aside so she could stand closer to Messi. Amruta later shared the photo on Instagram, which further attracted sarcastic comments.
