A fan named Soham Shetye had a once-in-a-lifetime moment when Lionel Messi kicked a football into the crowd at Wankhede Stadium during his G.O.A.T India Tour 2025 in Mumbai on December 14. Shetye shared the emotional moment on Instagram, leaving fans calling him “God’s favorite child” and the “luckiest man of the year.”

What began as a routine moment during Lionel Messi's Mumbai appearance quickly turned into a once-in-a-lifetime memory for one fan, and the internet can’t stop talking about it.

The football icon arrived at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, December 14, as part of the third leg of his G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025, following electrifying stops in Kolkata and Hyderabad. Accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, the 38-year-old legend soaked in the roaring energy of Mumbai. But it was one spontaneous gesture that stole the spotlight: Messi kicked a few footballs into the packed stands, sending fans into a frenzy.

Meet the man who received Messi's football

Amidst the sea of fans in the crowd, "lucky" man Soham Shetye received one of those balls kicked by Messi, instantly changing his day. Shetye later shared the surreal moment on Instagram, posting a clip titled, "Pov: You just received the ball by Messi (with an evil eye emoji)."

Struggling to put the moment into words, he captioned the post, "Short on words to explain this feeling. Little boy inside me is cryinggg harddddddddd." The raw emotion struck a chord with football lovers everywhere.

Check out the viral video below:

Internet reacts

Within hours, the comments section exploded. Fans flooded the post with messages like "God's favourite child," while others declared him the "Luckiest man of the year." Others wrote, "U’re the chosen one dude," and "Congratulations!!! You are a lucky one!!!" turning Shetye into an overnight internet sensation.

Inside Messi's star-studded Mumbai affair

Messi's Mumbai leg was nothing short of a star-studded affair. Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn attended the event with son Yug and nephew Aaman Devgan, while Tiger Shroff was spotted in a brown sleeveless zipped jacket.

Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri made a special appearance, greeting Messi in a custom No.10 jersey. The guest list extended beyond cinema and sport, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also present.

Yet, amid all the celebrity buzz, it was one fan's unforgettable catch that truly captured the magic of Messi in Mumbai.