Viral Crowd Video Falsely Linked to Messi’s Anticipated India Visit

New Delhi, December 17, 2025: A massive surge in social media activity has been observed following the circulation of a viral video showing a colossal crowd gathering, which was incorrectly claimed to be fans waiting for football legend Lionel Messi in India. The footage, which shows thousands of people packed into a narrow street, was widely shared across platforms like X, Instagram, and WhatsApp, sparking a frenzy among Indian football enthusiasts. However, the claims have been officially debunked, with the origins of the video traced back to a completely unrelated event in South America.

The Misleading Narrative Is Disseminated

The viral clip gained significant traction shortly after reports surfaced regarding a potential Argentina national team tour to India in 2025. Captions were added to the footage suggesting that the “Messi mania” had already reached Indian shores, with some posts specifically claiming the scene took place at a major Indian airport or city center.

The excitement was fueled by the genuine possibility of Messi playing on Indian soil for the first time since 2011. The visual of a sea of people in the video was used as “proof” of the unprecedented security challenges and fan devotion that would be expected upon his arrival. Unfortunately, this narrative was accepted by thousands of users without verification, leading to a massive wave of misinformation.

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Guarding Against Sports Misinformation

The incident has served as a critical reminder of how digital hysteria can be manufactured using old or out-of-context footage. As the hype for a potential 2025 India tour grows, the spread of such “clickbait” content is expected to increase.

Official sports bodies and news agencies have urged fans to rely solely on verified announcements from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) or the official channels of the Argentina National Team. The false association of the video was criticized as a deliberate attempt to gain views by exploiting the deep emotional connection Indian fans have with the football icon.

While the dream of seeing Messi play in India remains a possibility for the near future, it was clarified that the scenes of chaos depicted in the viral video have not yet been realized on the streets of Mumbai, Kochi, or Kolkata.