Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated G.O.A.T India Tour 2025 reached Mumbai over the weekend, drawing massive crowds to the Wankhede Stadium as fans gathered to witness the global football icon in person. The Mumbai stop marked the third leg of Messi’s India visit, following his appearances in Kolkata and Hyderabad, and was positioned as a celebration of his legacy and India’s growing football culture.
Ajay Devgn shares note on Project MahaDeva after attending Lionel Messi’s Mumbai event
Among the notable attendees were Bollywood actors Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff. After the event, Devgn took to Instagram to share a note expressing his support for a grassroots football initiative. “Excited to back Hon. CM Shri @devendra_fadnavis vision with #ProjectMahaDeva, seeing 60 young footballers across Maharashtra get their shot on the global stage, alongside legends like @leomessi, @luissuarez9 & @rodridepaul,” he wrote.
However, the evening also witnessed an unexpected turn. During the felicitation ceremony, sections of the crowd booed both Tiger Shroff and Ajay Devgn as they were invited on stage. Tiger Shroff was introduced as a ‘youth icon’ and ‘India’s youngest action star’ and was present in his capacity as the face of Project MahaDeva, an initiative aimed at scouting, training and nurturing young football talent across Maharashtra. As Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis felicitated him, audible boos rang out from parts of the stadium.
Ajay Devgn was called on stage next and introduced as an actor whose work reflects discipline and purpose, with a specific mention of his film Maidaan, which highlighted the golden era of Indian football. Despite the football-centric context of his introduction, the crowd reaction remained largely unchanged, with boos continuing during his felicitation.
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
The incident quickly sparked debate online, with netizens questioning the presence of film personalities at a football-centric event. Social media reactions ranged from calls of “Justice for Sunil Chhetri” to users expressing confusion over why actors were invited to a Messi event. Some comments criticised the perceived prioritisation of Bollywood figures over sportspersons, while others voiced disappointment despite identifying as fans of the actors.
Ajay Devgn’s association with football through Maidaan remains a significant part of his recent work. The biographical sports drama, co-written and directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma and produced by Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta, Boney Kapoor and Zee Studios, was released on April 11, 2024, and chronicled the life of legendary Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim.
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