Messi’s India arrival sparks frenzy as meet-and-greet photo priced at ₹9.95 lakh

Lionel Messi’s upcoming visit to India has sparked a surge of excitement among football fans, but the chance to meet him will come at an eye-watering cost. The organisers of The GOAT India Tour have priced a single photograph with the football icon at ₹9.95 lakh, excluding GST, as per a Reuters report. Messi is scheduled to land in Kolkata on Saturday (December 13) and head to Salt Lake Stadium at 10:30 AM, marking the start of a multi-city tour.

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The premium meet-and-greet will take place at Hyderabad’s lavish Falaknuma Palace, with only 100 slots available for fans willing to pay nearly ₹10 lakh for a photograph. Bookings have already opened on the District app. The announcement has rapidly gone viral, prompting a wave of strong reactions across social media platforms. While some fans expressed disbelief at the steep pricing, others responded with humour, suggesting that artificial intelligence tools could create a picture with Messi “for almost nothing.”

Several users posted sarcastic alternatives, noting that it might cost less to fly to Argentina, click a photo there, and return. One user wrote that AI apps such as Nano Banana Pro or Gemini could offer an edited selfie with Messi at a fraction of the price. Another joked that spending the same amount to meet Cristiano Ronaldo instead might be a better investment. The mixed reactions highlight the enormous enthusiasm surrounding Messi’s arrival, but also the growing debate over the affordability of celebrity interactions in India.

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Messi, fresh off his 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph, is scheduled to travel across four Indian cities, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad, as part of The GOAT Tour. His visit is expected to draw massive crowds, with local organisers projecting unprecedented fan engagement.

The GOAT India Tour marks one of the most high-profile football events hosted in the country, underscoring Messi’s enduring global appeal. While the meet-and-greet pricing has stirred discussion online, large turnouts are still anticipated at his public appearances, particularly in Kolkata, a city known for its deep football culture. Further details on the events across the other cities are expected to be released in the coming days.