Lionel Messi has been gifted a limited edition watch worth £825,000 during his tour of India. Messi, 38, recently visited the country for his 'GOAT tour', taking him across cities such as Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

It began in chaos, with the Argentina captain's appearance at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium lasting only 20 minutes. Many of the 85,000 fans who'd paid up to £100 for tickets were left disappointed when they couldn't even see Messi.

Their frustration turned to anger, ripping out seats and hurling items onto the pitch. When security personnel lost control of the situation, Messi was rushed out of the stadium alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul.

His tour then moved on to the Vantara Global Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Centre at Jamnagar - owned by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani - in the state of Gujarat, and things were much more hospitable. Ambani's son, Anant, gifted Messi an ultra-rare Richard Mille 003-V2 GMT Tourbillon 'Asia Edition' watch.

The snazzy timepiece, which the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner soon placed on his wrist, is priced at $1.1million (£825,000). What makes it extra special is that there's only 12 available globally.

Messi's tour came to an end on Tuesday and he posted a heartfelt message on Instagram. "Namaste India! What incredible visits to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata," the 38-year-old wrote.

"Thanks for the warm welcome, great hospitality, and all the expressions of love throughout my tour. I hope football has a bright future in India!"

Messi's season recently came an end, helping Miami win the MLS Cup for the first time. The forward has now won 44 trophies during his prestigious career.

"Three years ago, I decided to come to MLS, and today we are MLS champions," Messi remarked. "Last year, we went out early in the league and were eliminated in the first round. This year, winning MLS was one of our main objectives.

"The team made a huge effort - it was a very long year, with many matches and we were up to the task all season. This is the moment I had been waiting for, and that we, as a team, were waiting for. It's very beautiful for all of us."

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Maimi's next MLS campaign begins in February but Messi's top priority in 2026 will be defending Argentina's World Cup crown in North America next summer. The holders have been drawn in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan. (Mirror)

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