'He Is Our Idol': Messi's Argentina Farewell Resonates With Devoted Fans Across India

Lionel Messi's final appearance in an Argentina shirt may have taken place at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, but its emotional impact stretched across oceans to Indian cities and towns where the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner commands a following that borders on devotion. For supporters in Kerala, Kolkata and Mumbai, Tuesday's farewell friendly against Benin represented far more than a routine international fixture — it marked the closing of a chapter that has shaped how an entire generation in South Asia experiences football.

No one illustrated that commitment more vividly than Yadil Iqbal, a content creator from Kodungallur in Kerala, who travelled roughly 15,000 kilometres — approximately 9,300 miles — with no guarantee of seeing the match in person. The journey consumed some 40 hours of travel, involved multiple airport stopovers and cost thousands of dollars, yet Iqbal departed without a ticket in hand, trusting that the trip would reward him. He packed an Argentina jersey and a watch he hoped to present to Messi, documenting the entire pilgrimage for his 1.7 million Instagram followers.

His faith was not misplaced. Within hours of landing in Argentina, Iqbal secured a ticket on the resale market, paying about $1,000 — roughly three times the original face value. Describing his mindset to Al Jazeera, he explained that his belief in Messi had already been vindicated on a far grander stage. Reflecting on Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar, he said he had prayed for that victory, witnessed it with his own eyes, and that no subsequent obstacle felt intimidating by comparison.

For Iqbal, the tribute extends well beyond travel. He named his young son "Lian Messil," a playful nod to Lionel Messi, and erected a mural measuring 32 feet high by 20 feet wide — approximately 9.75 metres by 6 metres — near his home, depicting the forward's major trophies. Commissioned after Argentina's 2021 Copa America success, the artwork only came to Messi's attention this June when Iqbal posted a birthday video. Having taught himself Spanish through Google Translate, Iqbal was stunned when the player responded in the comments and mentioned him by name — an exchange he calls the best day of his life.

The scale of this affection is not confined to individual gestures. Whenever a World Cup arrives, neighbourhoods across Kerala transform into seas of sky blue and white, with Argentina flags draped from homes and, in some instances, entire houses painted in the colours of the Albiceleste. Kolkata in West Bengal shares that fervour, with murals of Messi adorning its walls and supporters routinely turning out in his number 10 jersey.

In Mumbai, Sagar Shinde embodies a similar depth of feeling. A creative producer and sports content creator who grew up watching Messi, Shinde admitted that the prospect of seeing his idol wear Argentina's shirt one last time moved him to tears. He described the looming absence bluntly: he will keep watching football, but the man who made him fall in love with the game will no longer be playing for the team he supports.

Shinde's devotion is etched permanently on his forearm, where a tattoo commemorates the date Messi lifted the World Cup trophy in Qatar — a moment that finally allowed him to step clear of the long shadow cast by the late Diego Maradona. He recalled challenging a friend that both would get matching tattoos if Argentina won the tournament, and holding him to that pledge once the trophy was secured. Like countless Indian fans, Shinde's allegiance to Barcelona and the Argentina national team originated entirely with Messi rather than any pre-existing club or country loyalty.

That passion translates into organised support. Shinde co-founded FCB Mumbai, a fan club that hosts screenings of Barcelona and Argentina matches. Following South American football from South Asia is a punishing exercise in sleep deprivation, with live kickoffs frequently requiring viewers to stay awake past midnight or rise before dawn. Yet the roughly eight-and-a-half-hour time difference proved no deterrent when hundreds of supporters gathered across Mumbai and beyond for a 4:30am screening of Wednesday's fixture.

Shinde attributed the enduring appeal to something beyond statistics, pointing to Messi's elegance, his dribbling and the way he carries himself on the pitch. It is a sentiment shared by admirers who regard the Rosario-born forward as belonging, in spirit at least, to their own communities. Messi holds the record for the most caps in Argentina's history and remains the most decorated individual player of his era, but in Kerala and Kolkata those achievements are treated as local pride rather than distant trivia.

The farewell match itself, a friendly against Benin, was framed by many as a "last dance" two decades in the making — the final opportunity to see Messi represent his country. For fans separated from Buenos Aires by almost 15,000 kilometres, that distance did little to dilute the occasion's significance, and social media channels overflowed with tributes, messages and shared memories.

The devotion carries practical implications for football culture in India as well. Fan clubs such as FCB Mumbai have built communities around shared screenings, while creators like Iqbal and Shinde have converted personal passion into professional content that connects Indian audiences to the global game. Their work demonstrates how a single athlete can drive sustained engagement with a sport that lacks deep domestic roots in many parts of the country.

When Messi eventually leaves the international stage for good, Indian supporters will confront a void that no highlight reel can fill. The jerseys will remain, the murals will stay on the walls, and the tattoos will not fade — but the man who inspired them will no longer step onto the pitch in Argentina's colours. For fans who stayed awake until 4:30am, travelled 40 hours without a ticket, or named a child after him, that absence will be felt as something considerably closer to a personal loss.