Messi in Mumbai: Govt gets Project Mahadeva ball rolling in presence of global football icon

The programme, launched at the Wankhede Stadium, aims to identify football talent across Maharashtra and provide structured training through a five-year residential scholarship model. A total of 60 players — 30 boys and 30 girls — under the age of 13, will be selected for specialised coaching, exposure to international training methods and holistic development, officials said.

Calling the initiative a key part of the state’s long-term sports strategy under Mission Olympics 2026, Fadnavis said the selected players would get professional coaching from foreign trainers and academic support, with the objective of equipping them to compete internationally.

The project is being implemented jointly by the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), the Village Social Transformation Foundation (VSTF), the Western India Football Association (WIFA), CIDCO, and the state Sports Department, officials said.

Addressing the gathering, Sachin Tendulkar said the role of spectators and public support was crucial in shaping athletes. Tendulkar compared the 2011 Cricket World Cup triumph at the same ground with the visit of Messi, along with his Inter Miami team-mates Luis Saurez and Rodrigo de Paul.

“I have spent some incredible moments here. As we call it, Mumbai is a city of dreams. And a number of dreams have seen the finish line here on this very venue. Without the support of spectators, one cannot grow… without your support, we would never have seen those golden moments on this ground in 2011,” Tendulkar said, referring to India’s ODI World Cup triumph in which he played a major role.

Thanking everyone for Messi’s visit, Tendulkar said, “Today’s moment will be written in golden letters. In sports, perseverance and determination are extremely important for players. Lionel Messi is a world-class player, and his sensitivity and encouragement to young players are very important,”

On this occasion, Sachin Tendulkar presented a No. 10 jersey bearing his name to Lionel Messi.

Lionel Messi, in return, gifted a football to Sachin Tendulkar. Lionel Messi also presented a jersey to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

On behalf of the Jindal Group, Parth Jindal and Vedanta Jindal presented a cheque of ₹75 lakh to Project Mahadeva through the Village Social Transformation Foundation. Mahindra & Mahindra, through the Village Social Transformation Foundation, presented a cheque of ₹99,99,000 to Project Mahadeva.
This project will create a robust and sustainable football development ecosystem in Maharashtra by combining policy support, grassroots participation, professional expertise, infrastructure and administrative backing, an official release said.

The Mumbai police had beefed up a security in the South Mumbai since Sunday morning and had announced traffic diversion on certain routes. Over 2,000 police personnel were deployed to avoid any untoward incidents and inconvenience to citizens.