Wankhede’s Roar Turns Restive during Messi’s G.O.A.T India Tour as Celebrities Face Crowd Backlash
Lionel Messi’s Mumbai visit drew massive enthusiasm, but unexpected boos greeted Bollywood actors during felicitation. The evening rebounded with euphoric moments featuring Kareena Kapoor and a memorable Messi–Sachin Tendulkar exchange.
Lionel Messi’s much-celebrated G.O.A.T India Tour 2025 triggered a tidal wave of fervour in Mumbai, with thousands converging at the iconic Wankhede Stadium for a fleeting glimpse of the global football luminary. Anticipation crackled in the air, as fans gathered to honour Messi’s legacy and his symbolic bridge to indian sporting culture. Yet, amid the euphoria, an unforeseen dissonance disrupted the evening’s choreography.
The Mumbai spectacle marked the third halt of Messi’s India itinerary, following high-octane appearances in Kolkata and Hyderabad just a day earlier. While the event was curated as a celebration of football and cross-cultural admiration, it took an awkward turn during the felicitation ceremony involving Bollywood figures Tiger Shroff and Ajay Devgn.
An Unscripted Audience Rebuff
Tiger Shroff was ushered onto the dais with grandiloquent praise, introduced as a “youth icon” and the nation’s youngest action protagonist. His presence was tied to Project Mahadeva, a state-backed endeavour aimed at identifying and cultivating grassroots football talent across Maharashtra. However, as Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis honoured him, a chorus of boos erupted from segments of the crowd, puncturing the celebratory mood.
Moments later, Ajay Devgn was summoned and commended for embodying discipline and thematic gravitas in cinema. The announcement referenced his film Maidaan, which chronicles the golden epoch of Indian football through the life of legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim. Despite the sport-centric framing, the crowd’s hostility persisted, with audible jeers continuing as Devgn received his honour.
at wankhede stadium fans didn’t come to cheer bollywood celebrities or politicians. They're came for the messi and sports and made it clear by booing the tiger shroff and ajay devgan 😭😭 . Respect for the CROWD pic.twitter.com/jPY9PtrWmi
— Pikachu (@11eleven_4us) December 14, 2025
Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff getting booed so badly that even Messi looked amused 💀
— Wellu (@Wellutwt) December 14, 2025
Global embarrassment unlocked. pic.twitter.com/RL5hesheo3
Viral clips circulating on X reveal both actors maintaining stoic restraint, absorbing the crowd’s disapproval with composure. Messi, who briefly acknowledged the actors, was seen standing patiently aside, the reverberations of dissent echoing across the stadium.
Announcer - Please welcome youth icon Tiger Shroff
— Vinesh Prabhu (@vlp1994) December 14, 2025
Crowd - BOOOOOOOO!!!
Surprisingly, even Ajay Devgn was booed
The crowd had purely come to see Messi and Indian legends like Tendulkar and Chhetri pic.twitter.com/ApsbqSWfY2
Moments of Unbridled Adulation
Notwithstanding the turbulence, the evening also delivered moments of rapturous acclaim. Earlier, Kareena Kapoor Khan attended a meet-and-greet with her sons, Taimur and Jehangir, sharing warm photo-ops with Messi.
The crescendo of applause, however, was reserved for Messi’s encounter with cricketing colossus Sachin Tendulkar. In a symbolic exchange, Tendulkar presented Messi with a Team India jersey, which the football maestro accepted graciously before gifting Tendulkar a football, an image that drew thunderous ovations.
Messi is scheduled to proceed to Delhi next, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, as the tour continues its high-profile journey across India.
Famous Bollywood Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan meet Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. ❤️🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/UFGsyEIgmt
— Messi Media (@LeoMessiMedia) December 14, 2025
