All posts tagged: Messis

Is TMC leader Messi’s childhood friend? Calcutta HC asks in stadium chaos case

Is TMC leader Messi’s childhood friend? Calcutta HC asks in stadium chaos case

Published by Parlour News

The Calcutta high court on Wednesday granted interim protection to former state sports minister Aroop Biswas against coercive police action in connection with the chaos at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium when football legend Lionel Messi made a brief appearance on December 13. Messi’s much-anticipated visit to the stadium in Bidhannagar, as part of the “GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Tour”, ended in chaos A single bench of justice Saugata Bhattacharyya said, “Every resident of Kolkata felt ashamed because of the fiasco. The events were conducted smoothly in other metro cities.” “He (Biswas) is putting his hand around Messi’s waist. How can he do this? Is he Messi’s childhood friend? Does it not breach the security?” the bench said. Messi’s much-anticipated visit to the stadium in Bidhannagar, as part of the “GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Tour”, ended in chaos as most spectators in the 50,000-strong crowd had purchased tickets priced between ₹4,500 and ₹18,000 but could barely see the Argentine football star, allegedly because VIPs and celebrities, including Biswas, surrounded him. The tour, which comprised …

Kohli fan from Messi’s backyard, Nabila Sol Barraza criss-crosses continents to leave her mark at World Yogasana Championships

Kohli fan from Messi’s backyard, Nabila Sol Barraza criss-crosses continents to leave her mark at World Yogasana Championships

Published by Webster

Even as the Indian yoga athletes and many of their Indian-origin counterparts take centrestage at the inaugural World Yogasana Championships here, a lithe South American is a cynosure of the spectators and fellow competitors as she performed the asanas with precision and elegance. After all, Argentinian Nabila Sol Barraza has been one of the most successful overseas athletes in the championships, winning a total of five including two gold and two silver medals, and insists that yoga has transformed her life in more ways than she could ever imagine. Born about 40 kilometres from Rosario — the Argentine city that gave the global football icon Lionel Messi — Nabila’s first brush with Yogasana happened through a college friend back home. What began as curiosity gradually transformed into a passion, eventually bringing her to Mumbai, a city she would call home for nearly five years. During that period, she learnt Hindi phrases, discovered Indian traditions, appeared as a background dancer in Bollywood productions, worked alongside actor Tiger Shroff, and even developed an unexpected appreciation for cricket. …

‘He will be bigger than the Messis of this world’: Lalit Modi on Sooryavanshi

‘He will be bigger than the Messis of this world’: Lalit Modi on Sooryavanshi

Published by Webster

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner heaped praise on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying that the 15-year-old will be bigger than even Argentina’s Lionel Messi as well as Hollywood and Bollywood stars. “What a delight he is. He will be bigger than anybody on the planet. He will be bigger than any Hollywood or Bollywood star. He will be bigger than the Messis of this world… I say this with conviction when I see his style of batting and the fearlessness in that boy. At that age to have that confidence, it’s a magic…,” he said in an interview with ANI. Sooryavanshi won the Orange Cap in the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League with 776 runs in 16 matches. Next up, he’ll be playing for India A in a tri-series in Sri Lanka, set to start next week. There are also chances that the prodigy will be fast-tracked to the India senior T20 side for the upcoming series vs Ireland and England. #WATCH | On Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, IPL founder and first …

Why Messi’s room number has Argentina dreaming of fourth star and his hamstring has them worried

Why Messi’s room number has Argentina dreaming of fourth star and his hamstring has them worried

Published by Webster

4 min readJun 2, 2026 12:23 PM IST Lionel Messi’s room at the Origin Hotel is 202. Add those digits and you get four. Argentine fans on social media noticed within hours of his arrival Sunday night, and the maths has been doing the rounds since. It traces back to Doha, where Messi’s room at Qatar University was 201 – digits that sum to three, the same number of World Cups Argentina had won when they left. Nobody in the camp is confirming they care about this. The country very much does. The arrival itself was watched closely. Dozens of Argentinians had gathered at the airport before Messi and Rodrigo De Paul came in on a private jet from Miami late Sunday, the last two to complete the delegation. A van had them at the hotel in under five minutes – the Origin, a riverside property on the Kansas River in the heart of the city, taken over entirely for the squad’s stay. AFA president Chiqui Tapia was already there waiting, having flown in earlier …

Where Messi’s Argentina, Ronaldo’s Portugal will train

Where Messi’s Argentina, Ronaldo’s Portugal will train

Published by Webster

4 min readUpdated: May 26, 2026 03:15 PM IST World football’s governing body, FIFA, on Tuesday revealed the expansive training and build-up plan laid out for the record 48 countries that will participate at the 2026 World Cup, slated to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 12. Over the next three weeks, teams will fly out to designated spots in one of three host nations to limber up for group-stage action across 12 pools, with elite training grounds marked each of the 48 nations. FIFA revealed that the selection of the Team Base Camp (TBC) Training Sites was finalised after an exhaustive plan that was first drawn up all the way back in 2024. CHECK OUT: FIFA World Cup Squads 2026: Portugal, Spain, Brazil, England name player lists FIFA observed that the TBC sites will be particularly crucial in lighting up the football festivities in regions beyond the 16 host cities in the respective countries. While 39 teams will be distributed across various training camps in the US, co-hosts Canada will …

Leander Paes Slams TMC Over Messi’s Chaotic Kolkata Tour as He Joins BJP

Leander Paes Slams TMC Over Messi’s Chaotic Kolkata Tour as He Joins BJP

Published by Parlour News

4 min readKolkataUpdated: Apr 4, 2026 04:48 PM IST Days after joining the BJP, tennis legend Leander Paes on Saturday slammed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government for its handling of the Lionel Messi GOAT tour in December 2025, saying that the manner in which the Argentine football great was treated was “sad and disrespectful”. He also alleged that West Bengal lacks infrastructure for sports other than cricket and football. “It is a sad feeling that Messi faced so much disrespect—that was very wrong. If Dada Sourav Ganguly or his brother Snehasish Ganguly had handled it, they would have protected him and the name of the state. If a player had been made the sports minister, this would not have happened,” Paes, who was with the TMC earlier, said, speaking in Bengali and Hindi. Messi’s appearance in Kolkata had ended in chaos and confusion with angry fans vandalising the stadium. Paes also spoke about his identity, saying he feels hurt when people question whether he is Bengali. “My name is not Sourav Ganguly, but I am …

‘Leo didn’t come because the president didn’t want him’: Xavi says Lionel Messi’s Barcelona comeback in 2023 was scrapped by Joan Laporta | Football News

‘Leo didn’t come because the president didn’t want him’: Xavi says Lionel Messi’s Barcelona comeback in 2023 was scrapped by Joan Laporta | Football News

Published by Webster

3 min readMar 9, 2026 08:22 PM IST Former Barcelona player and coach Xavi Hernandez said that Lionel Messi‘s return to Camp Nou was almost a done deal in 2023 but the club’s president Joan Laporta had blocked the Argentinian’s transfer fearing a power struggle with the superstar. Messi would ultimately end up joining his current club Inter Miami in 2023 after his Paris Saint Germain tenure ended. “The president is lying about what happened with Messi. Leo was signed. In January of 2023, after he had won the World Cup, I spoke to him and he told me he was excited to learn. We spoke until March and I told him: ‘Once you give me the OK, I will tell the president because it works perfectly on a football level,” Xavi said to Spanish outlet La Vanguardia as per ESPN. “The president negotiated the contract with Leo’s dad and we had the green light from La Liga financially, but it’s the president who pulled out. He told me that if Messi came back, he …

Why Lionel Messi’s first-ever professional goal for Barcelona is being watched on loop on Tuesday | Football News

Why Lionel Messi’s first-ever professional goal for Barcelona is being watched on loop on Tuesday | Football News

Published by Webster

4 min readFeb 3, 2026 03:26 PM IST Ahead of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Albacete, FC Barcelona jogged back fan memories towards Lionel Messi’s first professional goal against the same team. The 2005 goal when Messi was just 17 years old, was a moment of singular joy, combining with the other gleeful legend of yore, Ronaldinho. Marca described the clip put on Instagram by the club, showing a young Messi making a well-timed run behind the defense before receiving a perfectly weighted pass from Ronaldinho. ‘With remarkable composure for a teenager, Messi lifted a delicate chip over the goalkeeper and into the net, giving an early glimpse of the touch, awareness and confidence that would later define his career, a legendary one with the LaLiga powerhouse,’ Marca wrote. It ends with Messi joyously piggybacking a beaming Ronaldinho to celebrate what turned out to be the most illustrious club career. Barcelona’s post quickly accumulated resonating likes and shares from fans, who reminisced on the Dinho-Leo magic which was the first glimpse of his greatness. …

Kareena Kapoor’s Son Taimur Ali Khan Gets A special Birthday Surprise With Lionel Messi’s Touch | Bollywood News

Kareena Kapoor’s Son Taimur Ali Khan Gets A special Birthday Surprise With Lionel Messi’s Touch | Bollywood News

Published by Parlour News

Last Updated:December 23, 2025, 12:59 IST Kareena Kapoor celebrated Taimur Ali Khan’s ninth birthday with a Lionel Messi-themed party, featuring blue and white football décor. Taimur Ali Khan is a Messi fan. Actress Kareena Kapoor, on Tuesday, shared a glimpse from her son Taimur Ali Khan’s birthday celebrations. Taking to her Instagram Stories, the ‘Jab We Met’ actress gave a peek into Taimur’s Lionel Messi–themed birthday celebration. Kareena posted a photo that showcased the football-inspired décor and the special touches that made the day extra memorable. The picture featured blue and white balloons with “Happy Birthday Tim” written on them, while another balloon had “Messi 10″ printed on it. The picture showed a football-themed setup dominated by white and blue balloons, giving the celebration a clean and sporty vibe. Drawing inspiration from Lionel Messi’s iconic FC Barcelona journey, the décor reflected elements associated with his legendary era at the club—from his famous No. 10 legacy. A few weeks ago, football legend Lionel Messi visited India as part of his much-anticipated G.O.A.T. Tour. He arrived in …

Opinion: Cricket, Bollywood prevail while Sunil Chhetri took backseat at Messi’s GOAT Tour

Opinion: Cricket, Bollywood prevail while Sunil Chhetri took backseat at Messi’s GOAT Tour

Published by Webster

Messi came, saw two different sides of Indian hospitality, Messi conquered… Well maybe just about! Even as domestic football in India is going through its bleakest period in decades, Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour of Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi offered a glimpse of the fandom that the sport, and some of its biggest stars still enjoy in the country. Messi visits Kolkata, again The global football icon, hailed by many as the greatest player of all time, landed at the Netaji Subhash International Airport in Kolkata in the early hours of 13th November. It was his second trip to the City of Joy, having played an international match against Venezuela way back in 2010, which was also his first for his country as captain. And Kolkata didn’t disappoint, at least not at first. He unveiled a 70-ft statue of himself, something that has since found mention in global football pages for resembling the World Cup winner quite accurately. It that doesn’t happen very often with footballers (just ask Cristiano Ronaldo or David Beckham). But it …