Lionel Messi sends signed jersey to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday

Lionel Messi has sent his signed Argentina jersey to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday. The shirt is from his iconic home kit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he led La Albiceleste to victory.

According to the T2 Telegraph, the shirt was signed by Lionel Messi earlier this year for Narendra Modi's birthday, as the Indian Prime Minister turned 75 this year. It was sent through sports entrepreneur Satadru Dutta, who's known to bring multiple football superstars to India over the years.

In a video shared via Dutta, Messi is seen signing the Argentina home jersey, where he wished the Indian Prime Minister a happy birthday in Spanish. It said:

"Señor Modi, Feliz 75 Cumpleaños."

Speaking to IANS on Monday, Satadru Dutta said:

"Messi has sent an autographed jersey to the Prime Minister for his 75th birthday, along with our wishes. When he comes to India, a request will be sent to meet the Prime Minister, and we will try to make it happen. This is done to convey our wishes to the Prime Minister."

Lionel Messi is also reportedly set to visit India in December this year, with events scheduled at Kolkata (December 13), Mumbai (December 14), and New Delhi (December 15). The legendary Argentine is expected to meet Narendra Modi during his visit to the capital. Moreover, the Argentina national team is also scheduled to play a friendly in Kerala this November, although Messi's arrival has not been confirmed yet.

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When PM Narendra Modi shared his thoughts on Lionel Messi's impact on today's generation

Messi - Source: Getty

In an interview on Lex Fridman's podcast (h/t The Economic Times) in March this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was asked to share his take on the age-old Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate. Modi did not pick one over the year, but spoke about Messi's impact on today's generation.

"It's absolutely true that many regions in India have a strong football culture. Our women's football team is performing really well, and the men's team is also making great progress. But if we talk about the past, back in the 1980s, one name which always stood out was Maradona. For that generation, he was seen as a true hero. If you ask today’s generation, they'll immediately mention Lionel Messi," he said.

Messi previously visited India in 2011, when he played a friendly for Argentina against Venezuela in the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. His reported upcoming tour of India will see him return to the City of Joy for the second time, with another event scheduled in the same stadium. However, the Argentine superstar has yet to confirm his visit officially.

Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar