Messi Tour Crores Spark Outcry Amid Indian Football Crisis: Jhingan Slams Priorities

• Star footballer Sandesh Jhingan criticized the crores spent on Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour while Indian football faces an investment crisis and domestic leagues are postponed.
• Jhingan highlighted the "difficult phase" for Indian football, with ISL indefinitely postponed and I-League lacking commercial partners, questioning the nation's priorities.
• Despite the financial woes, Messi's three-day tour saw massive public frenzy and significant investment, which Jhingan contrasted with the lack of support for local players.
• The tour, featuring Messi, Rodrigo de Paul, and Luis Suarez, was seen by some as a "glorified, selfie-driven exhibition" for the elite.
• The Kolkata leg of the tour descended into chaos at Salt Lake Stadium, leading to organizer Shatadru Datta's arrest and complaints from ticket-holders about not seeing Messi.

Why It Matters: Messi tour's high cost sparks debate on Indian football's neglect and misplaced priorities.