Lionel Messi’s left foot is reportedly insured for about $900 million, which is more than Rs 8,000 crore. No kidding!

This makes it one of the most valuable insured body parts in sports. And because of this high-value insurance policy, Lionel Messi did not play a football match or exhibition game during his four-city India visit – a limitation that, in hindsight, might feel more like a blessing than a restriction given how the tour unfolded.

If there’s one thing Messi will be glad about, it’s that he didn’t have to jeopardise his precious left foot in the chaotic scenes that greeted his return to Indian soil – particularly in Kolkata, where what was billed as a historic football moment, somehow turned into an impromptu episode of ‘Event Management 101: What Not to Do’.

Kolkata, known for its football frenzy, has deep-rooted passion for the game and one of India’s most iconic venues – the Salt Lake stadium, which is a cauldron of sport where league derbies have drawn crowds comparable to international fixtures.

So, when Messi’s ‘G.O.A.T India Tour 2025’, which marked his first visit to........

© News18