HYDERABAD: Talk of one of football’s finest-ever players taking the pitch opposite a side led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has set Hyderabad buzzing ahead of Lionel Andrés Messi’s scheduled visit on December 13 as part of the G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025.
TNIE had first reported the likelihood of an exhibition match featuring Messi and Revanth after TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud made a similar suggestion.
The Telangana Rising Global Summit’s official X handle pushed the excitement further by announcing a possible “Messi10 vs RR9” showdown as the summit’s finale.
Officials say the chief minister has treated the prospect like a major fixture, on par with the summit itself, which is set to conclude shortly before the football event. Sources hinted that Revanth has been carving out around 45 minutes in his day to work on drills, pace and touch, a quiet training routine ahead of any potential kick-off.
Messi, meanwhile, blew the opening whistle on Instagram earlier in the day.
“Thanks for all the love from India! The GOAT tour kicks off in a few weeks! I’m happy to share that Hyderabad has been added to my visits to Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. See you soon, India,” he posted.
The chief minister responded with his own message on X, saying he looked forward to welcoming Messi and that Hyderabad was ready to host him with warmth and pride.
Across Telangana, football followers have already slipped into match-day mode, with preparations under way for the arrival of one of the sport’s most recognisable names. Whether the friendly fixture materialises or not, anticipation in the city has already moved well past the halfway line.