Lionel Messi Is Insured Up To $900 Million But Why The ‘Insurance’ Factor Is Stopping Him From Playing A Full Match During His India Tour? Everything Explained

GOAT India Tour 2025, a trip to India during which Lionel Messi, the legendary football player, visited Kolkata and Hyderabad, has arrived in Mumbai today. With himself set to take part in the Padel GOAT Cup at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium), we shall see why the Argentine footballer will not play a full match in India.

Will Messi play a full match in India? 

His Mumbai tour will begin with the event at the Brabourne stadium in south Mumbai, at which time the whole event will start at about 4:30 pm.

The legendary Argentinean footballer who plays in Argentina and Major Soccer League (MLS) club inter Miami does not have any matches in India and the cause of this will make you breath a sigh of relief.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup victorious captain got the signature to one of the most costly athlete policies in the world that covers the superstar football player’s medical insurance to the tune of up to 900 million dollars.

Even though the medical insurance would cover the Argentina national team captain in case he is financially harmed by an injury to his career, he would not be covered for injuries sustained during any other match than those of his country or club.

It is notable here that exhibition matches are not covered by the insurance policies. When the player is called upon as injured in such a match, he has to miss the compensation amounting to millions of dollars.

FIFS director clarifies the factor of insurance

Director General, Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), Joy Bhattacharjya, on Facebook wrote, “There is one thing that the fans of football should have known in case they were hoping to see Messi play in India. Any global football superstar cannot even play a single match of any kind even semi-serious unless it is on behalf of country or club.

The ESPN Star Sports India first Indian Head of Production said, That is because they are insured to millions of dollars in case of country or club matches, but not other matches.

Indicating that the insurance policy does not cover injuries during casual games, the director of FIFA U-17 World Cup also added, “Hence, in case they get injured in any of their exhibitions or casual games they lose ten of millions in compensation. It is a danger, of which none of them can afford to be guilty.

What happened with Michael Jordan? 

The previous director of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has described the insurance aspect with respect to the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan who had the addition of the clause of love of the game in his contract with Chicago Bulls.

This provision ensures that he is provided with medical expenses in the event of injury not in the course of playing Chicago Bulls. Nevertheless, there is no such clause in the policy of the insurance of Messi.

According to the Prime Volleyball League CEO, there is an interesting story to this. Michael Jordan even had special clause in his contract that is known as love of the game, since he liked playing pick up games, and he played them as serious as he played NBA finals. All games were covered under his insurance. However, I do not believe that Messi or any other modern star features that in their contracts.

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