Mumbai: Argentine football legend Lionel Messi arrived in Mumbai on Saturday for the third leg of his four-city GOAT India Tour.
During his Mumbai visit, Messi is scheduled to attend the Padel GOAT Cup event at the Cricket Club of India (CCI), Brabourne Stadium, before proceeding to the Wankhede Stadium around 5 pm for the main GOAT India Tour event.
In view of the chaotic scenes witnessed during Messi’s Kolkata appearance, Mumbai Police have significantly tightened security arrangements. Authorities have imposed strict entry restrictions, deployed additional personnel, erected watchtowers, and implemented enhanced crowd management measures to prevent any stampede-like situation and ensure the smooth conduct of events at both venues.
The tour began on a troubled note on Day 1 in Kolkata, where Messi’s brief 22-minute appearance at Salt Lake Stadium exposed serious lapses in planning and crowd control, leading to widespread criticism.
However, the Hyderabad leg of the tour marked a sharp contrast, with seamless arrangements and an enthusiastic yet orderly welcome. Messi was accompanied by his former Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez and Argentina World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul, drawing large but well-managed crowds.
Mumbai marks the third stop of the highly anticipated tour, which has attracted massive attention from football fans across the country.
