Messi Event: Devgn & Shroff Booed as Fans Demand Focus on Football GOAT

New Delhi, December 15, 2025: The highly anticipated Mumbai stop of Lionel Messi’s “GOAT India Tour 2025” took an unexpected turn on Sunday as Bollywood stars Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff were met with loud boos from sections of the crowd at the Wankhede Stadium. The clear message from the thousands of fans gathered was their singular focus on the Argentine football legend, leaving little patience for celebrity interruptions.

The incident occurred during an on-field felicitation ceremony, where the actors were being honoured by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The moment was intended to blend Indian celebrity with the global football icon, but the crowd’s reaction quickly showed that their passion was reserved solely for the sport’s biggest names.

The Moment of Displeasure

As the proceedings were momentarily paused to call the Bollywood actors forward, the atmosphere shifted. When Tiger Shroff—introduced as a “youth icon” and linked to ‘Project Mahadeva,’ a state initiative for football development—stepped onto the pitch, audible jeers and boos rang out across the stadium.

The crowd’s displeasure did not end there. Moments later, Ajay Devgn was invited to be honoured, partly in recognition of his film Maidaan, which tells the story of legendary Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim. Despite this connection to football, his arrival was also met with continued booing, with fans openly expressing their desire for the event to move on to the main attraction: Lionel Messi.

The sentiment from the stands was unmistakable: spectators had endured long waits and bought tickets specifically to see one of the greatest football players in history, and they were impatient with anything that took the focus away from him.

Messi and Tendulkar Bring Back the Cheers

Throughout the awkward exchange, Lionel Messi was seen standing calmly on the sidelines, maintaining a professional demeanour as the local dignitaries and actors were met with the crowd’s strong reaction.

The mood only improved dramatically when the attention shifted back to global sporting figures. The loudest cheers of the evening were reserved for a special moment between two sporting greats: Messi and Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar presented Messi with his iconic Team India No. 10 jersey, a gesture that resonated deeply with the crowd, given the shared jersey number. Messi reciprocated by gifting Tendulkar a football, an exchange that was met with overwhelming applause and enthusiasm, successfully refocusing the energy of the event.

The event at Wankhede, which also saw the presence of Messi’s Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, along with other celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan, highlighted the immense, almost singular, pull of the football superstar. Following the stops in Kolkata and Hyderabad, the Mumbai leg proved to be a sharp reminder to event organisers: when Lionel Messi is in the house, the spotlight must stay firmly on the pitch and the sport.

Messi and his team are scheduled to conclude their four-city India tour in Delhi next.