Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma have returned to India from London at the same time as Lionel Messi’s much‑hyped GOAT India Tour, sparking big speculation online about a possible meeting between the cricket superstar and the football icon.

Kohli and Anushka land in Mumbai as Messi begins India tour

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma landed at Mumbai’s Kalina airport on Saturday, December 13, triggering a frenzy among fans and paparazzi. The couple, who now live in London, had travelled there soon after India’s ODI series win against South Africa earlier this month. Their sudden return to Mumbai has got social media buzzing, with many wondering if they are back to meet Lionel Messi, who started his GOAT India Tour the same day.

As soon as photos and videos of the couple at the airport went viral, fans started connecting the dots. Messi arrived in Kolkata on December 13 morning and is set to reach Mumbai on December 14 for events at the Cricket Club of India and Wankhede Stadium. That timing has led to widespread guessing about a blockbuster crossover between two of the world’s biggest sporting names.

Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour schedule

Lionel Messi is on a three‑day tour across four Indian cities – Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi – from December 13 to December 15. The 38‑year‑old Argentina and Inter Miami star is scheduled to take part in fan meet‑and‑greets, 7v7 football matches, and celebrity football games at different venues.

On December 13, he was in Kolkata at the Salt Lake Stadium for a special event with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly, followed by a trip to Hyderabad later that evening for a match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. On December 14, Messi is scheduled to be in Mumbai for a padel match at the Cricket Club of India, followed by a celebrity football match and a fan event at Wankhede Stadium. The tour ends on December 15 in New Delhi, where Messi is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speculation around Kohli–Messi meeting

While fans are excited about the timing, there has been no official confirmation from either Kohli or Messi’s teams about any planned meeting. Reports suggest that Kohli may also be back in India to prepare for the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi, which begins later this month. But the overlap in their schedules – especially Messi’s Mumbai events on Sunday – has kept the speculation alive.

The idea of Virat Kohli, one of cricket’s biggest global icons, meeting Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer ever, has captured public imagination. Social media is full of predictions and wishes for a photo‑op between the two, calling it a “crossover for the ages”.

Chaos in Kolkata as Messi tour begins

Messi’s first stop in Kolkata was marked by huge fan excitement, but also poor crowd management and chaos. About 50,000 spectators had paid anywhere between ₹4,000 and ₹12,000 – and some even up to ₹20,000 in the black market – to see Messi at the Salt Lake Stadium. However, many of them did not get even a proper glimpse of the star because of VIP access issues, selfie‑hungry politicians and security crowding.

Messi’s appearance at the venue lasted just 22 minutes, which left fans angry and disappointed. The chaos underlined problems with planning and crowd control, and it became a symbol of everything wrong with football administration in India. The incident overshadowed what should have been a historic moment for the sport in the country.