Hyderabad: Argentina football legend Lionel Messi headlined a spectacular exhibition match in Hyderabad on Saturday night, joined by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the Uppal Stadium. The event marked a rare transformation of the cricket venue into a football arena, drawing massive crowds and delivering a night of high-voltage sporting entertainment.
Messi, along with Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez, received a rapturous welcome from fans as they entered the stadium around 7.55 pm. The Chief Minister, who arrived earlier at 7.42 pm with Rahul Gandhi, took to the field in red and white kit and scored a goal within minutes, energising the crowd. He later participated in a penalty shootout and was congratulated by Messi and other footballers after scoring.
Revanth, Messi steal show in star-studded exhibition
The match featured Team Singareni, dressed in red and white, against the Messi All-Stars, who wore Argentina jerseys. Team Singareni secured a dominant 4–0 victory, scoring two early goals before Messi and his teammates stepped onto the field. The football icon kicked off the second half alongside Revanth Reddy, exchanging passes and engaging the crowd with playful interactions.
During the post-match ceremony, Messi handed over winner and runner-up trophies and presented two autographed Argentina jerseys to Rahul Gandhi. A photo moment featuring Messi between Rahul and Revanth added to the evening’s highlight reel.
The stadium came alive from 5 pm with live performances by singers Rahul Sipligunj and Mangli, followed by a laser and fireworks show. A giant cutout featuring Messi, Rahul, and Revanth at the north end of the stadium drew applause.
Earlier in the day, CM Revanth Reddy gave Rahul Gandhi a warm welcome at the Shamshabad airport. The two leaders discussed recent political developments, including the Jubilee Hills bypoll victory and the upcoming gram panchayat elections. After the match, both leaders flew to Delhi for Sunday’s anti-vote fraud rally.