Hyderabad, December 13: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy created history on Saturday by becoming the first-ever Indian Chief Minister to play football alongside global icon and Argentina star Lionel Messi. The rare moment unfolded during a friendly exhibition match at the Uppal Stadium as part of the GOAT India Tour 2025, drawing massive attention from fans and sports enthusiasts.
Revanth Reddy made the moment even more memorable by scoring the final goal of the match, earning loud cheers from the packed stadium. Messi stepped onto the ground later in the game, further lifting the atmosphere, though his team was already lost by 3-0 by the end of the game.
Despite the scoreline, the friendly clash was celebrated as a historic and symbolic occasion. highlighting the growing popularity of football in the state and marking a proud moment for Hyderabad.
Rahul Gandhi was also present at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal to mark the historic event. However, he did not participate in the game. Rahul Gandhi also met Lionel Messi on the ground and also talked to him.
Messi also played some football along with the children present on the ground, motivating them to play football in the future.
The event went well after the chaos which was witnessed in Kolkata, where the fans were not able to get a proper glimpse of their favourite football star. They were furious as the rates of the tickets were also high. They alleged that Messi was surrounded by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and ministers due to which they could not see him.
