Messi in Mumbai – 5:37 pm, enters Wankhede stadium; 6:40 pm, football with Tendulkar and Chhetri

Soon after the winners are announced, Messi is expected to enter the stadium at around 5.37 pm. Following his arrival, Messi is scheduled to take part in a photo opportunity with celebrities on the pitch, during which he will also take penalty kicks.

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Later, Messi is scheduled to take a lap of the ground before moving to the field of play stage, where he will be joined by Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar for a football-and-cricket bat exchange, shortly before 6:40 pm. Among other prominent names expected at the Mumbai leg apart from Tendulkar are John Abraham, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Jackie Shroff.

The stage proceedings will also include Messi being felicitated by dignitaries, including representatives of the Mumbai Cricket Association, as part of the formal programme. Messi is expected to present the trophy to the winning All Stars team before being invited to say a few words to the audience, bringing the on-field proceedings to a close shortly after 7 pm.

GOAT Football Clinic

A key highlight of Messi’s Mumbai visit will be his participation in the ‘GOAT Football Clinic,’ where he will interact with 60 children – 30 boys and 30 girls – as part of the Maharashtra government’s Project Mahadeva initiative. The session is expected to last 30 minutes, between 5.56 pm and 6.26 pm, with 15 minutes allotted to both groups. Project Mahadeva is the Maharashtra government’s flagship grassroots football initiative, aimed at identifying and nurturing young talent at an early age.

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The selected children are enrolled in a five-year full scholarship programme that provides professional coaching, academic support, equipment, residential facilities when required, performance tracking, nutrition, physiotherapy, and mental conditioning. Messi is expected to hand over a scholarship certificate to a group of six children at around 6:45 pm.

For many in the stands, Sunday offers a rare opportunity to watch Messi up close, while for the young players involved, it marks a moment that could shape their footballing journeys long after the tour moves on. The Argentine will travel to Delhi on Monday for the final leg of the tour, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.