Free Kicks And A Jersey Gift? PM Modi-Lionel Messi Meet That Did Not Happen

Argentinian football superstar Lionel Messi, who completed his GOAT India tour today, had agreed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had even bought a jersey for him, former Union Minister Praful Patel told NDTV's Shiv Aroor in an exclusive interview. 

"I had already made a request and I had already spoken to his (Messi's) office that we would like to call on the Honorable Prime Minister," he said.

That the footballer had agreed to meet PM Modi is no small thing, Patel indicated. "Messi, you know, he is a very shy person. He doesn't want to go and meet any leader of the country... But on my request, he had agreed to go and call on the Prime Minister," Patel said. 

"That would have been really a picture-perfect moment. The Honorable Prime Minister having, you know, maybe a dialogue or maybe just kicking a ball or holding a ball or Messi signing a ball or jersey for him," said Patel, who is the former president of the All-India  Football Federation. 

Messi, he said, had brought a jersey specially for the Prime Minister's 75th birthday. "That was something he wanted to gift himself personally," he said. 

Also, it was not just about a photo op, Patel added. Such a moment is also "required".

"An interface between decision makers and other people who can promote the game should also happen. And that was not encroaching on any of his public time. Nobody has wasted a minute of his which was due for concerts or for interaction with common people," Patel  added, insisting that they realized that people have paid for tickets to come and see him.

But the visit did not happen since the Delhi leg of Messi's tour clashed with PM Modi's plans to visit Jordan.

Speculation about Messi's meetings with celebrities and political leaders had started after his botched visit to Kolkata's Salt Lake stadium, where his programme had to be cut short from one hour to 20 minutes.

Messi was hustled out of the stadium on Sunday morning after he got surrounded by too many people -- politicians, police officers, VIPs and their aides. 

Thereafter, fans who had come to see the football superstar, got upset and started wrecking the place, throwing around chairs and bottles and vandalizing stadium property. 

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government has ordered an investigation into the matter. The sports minister, Aroop Biswas, has temporarily stepped down to ensure a fair probe and the state's top cop, Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, has been showcaused by the government.