Lionel Messi stopped by Vantara, Anant Ambani’s wildlife rescue and conservation centre in Jamnagar. He joined in some traditional rituals, walked through the animal care and rehab areas, and even spent some time with the rescued animals.
Messi didn’t come alone. His Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul were right there with him.
Fans were left stunned by Messi’s never-before-seen avatar as the star footballer donned a shawl, wore a tilak on his forehead along with Rudraksha malas.
Ganpati Bappa Morya! Messi at Vantara! ✨🙏🏻
@RIL_Updates @Vantara_RF pic.twitter.com/CQ5tqCZkJv
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) December 16, 2025
Messi and friends at Vantara, with more friends pic.twitter.com/u18h7mNaEz
— Ashish (@AshishXL) December 16, 2025
What happened to Messi in vantara ?
— Kanishk (@BSS24j) December 16, 2025
Awesome to see Messi and the crew at Vantara! Loving the cultural vibe and that warm Indian hospitality!
— it’s sai rose (@14764Sairose) December 16, 2025
Anant and Radhika Ambani made the visit extra special by naming a lion cub “Lionel” as a tribute. After their tour, Messi and his friends left Jamnagar Airport in a tight security convoy.
News agency ANI posted videos on Instagram showing the group on their way out, security everywhere, crowds buzzing.
Messi’s time at Vantara was short but made a splash. The place has been making headlines for its work with wildlife and its commitment to animal welfare.
Before Jamnagar, Messi had just wrapped up a big stop in New Delhi. At Arun Jaitley Stadium, he met some of India’s top cricket names like ICC Chairman Jay Shah, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and DDCA President Rohan Jaitley.
Shah handed Messi, Suárez, and De Paul their own Indian cricket team jerseys. Messi got number 10, Suárez number 9, and De Paul number 7, each one personalised. Shah also gave Messi a ticket to the upcoming T20 World Cup and invited him to the tournament. Messi’s India tour just kept adding new chapters.
