Ronaldo and Messi miss trips to India in latest blow for nation's football fans

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's absence from India has dealt another blow to the country's football fans, who were eagerly anticipating the presence of these two footballing greats on Indian soil. The highly anticipated match between Al-Nassr and FC Goa was supposed to be a defining moment for Indian club football, but it now seems that Ronaldo will not make an appearance after all.

Ronaldo's absence is particularly poignant as he was set to play in a competitive fixture against Al-Nassr, who were hosting the Saudi Pro League side at the Jio Gujarat Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Goa CEO had described the match as "the biggest game in Indian club football history" and had predicted that it would be a game for the ages.

However, with Ronaldo not showing up, the match ended up being just another routine encounter between Al-Nassr and FC Goa, which went down to two goals to one. While Al-Nassr's players were unable to replicate the magic they showed in their recent wins against other top teams in the league, it was still a great experience for the fans who got to see some of the world's best footballers on display.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has pulled out of his scheduled friendly match between Argentina and Australia in Kerala. The friendly had been provisionally arranged months ago but ultimately fell through due to FIFA's refusal to approve the match. Now, it seems that the match will have to be rescheduled for a later date.

The absence of Ronaldo and Messi is just another blow to Indian football, which has been facing an uncertain future in recent times. The 2025-26 Indian Super League season was delayed due to contractual and legal disputes between clubs and administrators. And with the men's national team failing to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup, it seems like things are not looking up for the sport.

While it is true that the absence of Ronaldo and Messi will not have a significant impact on Indian football, fans were hoping to see these two legends in action at least once. Now, they will just have to settle for another routine match against Al-Nassr without their two favorite stars.

The situation is indeed bleak for Indian football at the moment. The sport has been facing numerous challenges and setbacks over the years, from contractual disputes to infrastructure issues. And with the absence of Ronaldo and Messi, it seems like things will not get any better anytime soon.

4/5 ️ stars for Al-Nassr's performance without Ronaldo they still gave it a good go but ultimately couldn't replicate that magic stats show FC Goa had the upper hand in possession (55% vs 45%) and shots on target (10 vs 8)

Ronaldo's absence is definitely a blow to Indian football fans 1.2M attendance was lower than expected for the match

Indian Super League season delayed = 13th consecutive delay stats show 6 out of 7 matches were postponed due to similar issues

FIFA's refusal to approve Messi's friendly match in Kerala 27% of matches scheduled for 2025 have been postponed or canceled due to FIFA regulations

man this is so disappointing ronaldo and messi are basically the reason we're even watching indian football right now lol their absence is just another nail in the coffin for our sport. i mean idc if they show up or not, but come on can't we just have one magic moment to look back on? instead it's always just more of the same old routine matches and yeah the situation is bleak rn, india needs some serious investment in football infrastructure and stuff...

I'm literally so disappointed ... I mean, what's going on with Indian football right now? First, you guys cancel matches left and right, then FIFA refuses to approve friendlies... it's just a mess. And these two legends show up, but only for us to see them leave again . Come on, can't we have some consistency here? I know Ronaldo and Messi aren't going to make a huge difference in Indian football, but the hype was real ... now all we're left with is Al-Nassr vs FC Goa and it just doesn't feel like the same thing without those two on the pitch .

omg what a bummer i know i know fans were hyped for ronaldo and messi to come play in india but idk why they had to cancel at last minute anyway if ur gonna bring the big names then u gotta make sure they show up and poor indian fans were looking forward to seeing these legends on the pitch lol now it's just another match without the magic

I feel bad for the fans in India who were really looking forward to seeing these two legends play live . It's just another disappointment for Indian football which has been struggling lately. I mean, can't we just have one good thing happen for a change? The lack of investment and poor management is really taking its toll on the sport. And now, with Ronaldo and Messi missing out, it feels like things will never get better ️

OMG u guys!!! I know how much we all wanted to see CR7 & Leo play in India lol it's just so disappointing that they both pulled out Al Nassr vs FC Goa was supposed to be EPIC but now it feels like another normal match lets not forget tho that fans got to see some amazing footballers on display still can't wait for the next big thing in Indian football

This is getting crazy . I mean, think about it - the biggest stars in football aren't even willing to show up because of bureaucratic red tape from FIFA? It's just another example of how India's sports infrastructure can't compete with the bigger leagues like Saudi Arabia or Argentina.

And let's be real, this is a classic case of the "rich get richer" syndrome . The wealthy clubs in the league are always getting favorable treatment and priority over the smaller teams like FC Goa. It's no wonder that they're not being able to compete with the big boys like Al-Nassr.

We need to start asking some tough questions about how our sports administrators are handling these situations . Are we giving enough support to our domestic leagues? Are we doing enough to promote Indian football and attract top talent?

The absence of Ronaldo and Messi might not be a disaster for Indian football, but it's definitely a missed opportunity . We need to start making some changes and holding our sports leaders accountable for their performance .

I'm really disappointed that Cristiano Ronaldo didn't show up to the match in India ... wait, no I mean, I'm totally fine with it, I don't think Indian football needs a bunch of celebrities coming in and making everything weird anyway . But honestly, can you blame me for being upset? It's like, the biggest game in Indian club football history just got cancelled because of these two guys showing up late... or not showing up at all . I mean, I was really looking forward to seeing Messi and Ronaldo play together, but I guess it's not meant to be .

I'm also kinda sad that the friendly match between Argentina and Australia got cancelled due to FIFA's rules ... but then again, maybe it's for the best? Like, we don't need more excuses for Indian football to mess up their schedules . And honestly, I'm not really sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that Indian football is facing some uncertainty right now... does anyone even know what they're doing anymore?

what's up with these superstars just dropping out left & right? first it's ronaldo & now messi... can't a fan just enjoy a match without their idols pulling a no-show? i mean, indian football needs all the help it can get rn. like, who else is gonna bring in the crowds & cash? these big names are what make football interesting, so when they're not around, it's just another boring match for the fans. ️

Another huge blow 2 Indian football These legends were the only reason I was watching this league Now it's just more of the same

I'm so bummed that CR7 and Leo aren't here . The match was supposed to be a huge deal for Indian football and now it's just another normal game without the two biggest stars . I know they're super busy with their leagues and whatnot, but still, fans were really looking forward to see them in action . And with all these setbacks happening at once, it's like the sport is just stuck in neutral .

I'm so disappointed to hear that Cristiano Ronaldo won't be making an appearance in the match between Al-Nassr and FC Goa . The hype around this game was so high, and fans were super excited to see him play . Now it's just another routine match without him . And on top of that, Lionel Messi is also pulling out of his friendly match with Argentina against Australia ️... it's just not the same . Indian football needs all the help it can get right now , and these two absentees aren't going to make things any easier . Can we just get some good news for once?

Man, can you believe this? 75% of fans were expecting Ronaldo to show up for that match in India , but now he's out . It's like they say, when the big names don't come, it's just another dull game ️. And with Messi pulling out of that friendly match too , it's like Indian football is stuck in a rut . The attendance figures for that Al-Nassr vs FC Goa match were pretty meh too - 35k fans showed up? That's barely half capacity .

But let's look at the stats on their respective absences : Ronaldo hasn't played a competitive match in India since 2019, and Messi isn't even scheduled to play an international match until next year . The Indian Super League season was delayed by 8 months , which is a huge blow to the sport's growth. And with no major tournaments on the horizon, it's going to be tough for fans to stay engaged .

I'm telling you, it's no surprise that Ronaldo didn't show up . I mean, he's a busy guy and can barely fit in his schedule for regular matches, let alone some obscure friendly against Australia . And now Messi is bailing too? It's just another example of how these superstars are always playing one-upping each other, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces .

And what's with all this fuss about Indian football, anyway? It's like you guys can't even get a big-name match to happen without some catastrophic event . You need these two legends to legitimize your league, and now they're not showing up because of some arbitrary FIFA rule . Give me a break!

I'm not saying it would've changed the game or anything, but come on, guys! Can't you just put on a good show for once?

omg u guys r gonna miss out on seeing cr7 and lionel messi play in india its a huge bummer especially since this was meant to be such an epic match indian football is already struggling rn with all these delays and issues, lets just hope they can get it together and make some magic happen on the pitch

I mean, what's up with these superstars ditching India right when we need them most? I know they're busy with their leagues and stuff, but come on guys! Indian football fans were really hyped for this match, especially with Ronaldo and Messi on the field. Now it just feels like another regular game without the big names. And to make matters worse, the 2025-26 season got delayed again because of club admin disputes... when will we see some real progress? I'm not saying they won't come back or anything, but it feels like a bigger deal than just them not showing up for one game.

awww man can u believe ronaldo and messi arent even makin it to india ?? i was so hyped for that match and now its just gonna be another normal game without them indian football needs some magic right about now but still, let's not count out the fans, dey got heart let's keep supporting our teams and players, we can get thru dis

I mean, come on... the whole thing is just another excuse for Indian football to fail . I know Ronaldo and Messi aren't going to make a huge difference in this one match, but still... fans were hyped, okay? And now they're just gonna have to settle for some boring game against Al-Nassr without their two favorite stars. The real problem is the lack of investment and planning from the Indian football authorities. They can't even get a few big-name players to show up for a match, what's going on? And don't even get me started on the 2025-26 season getting delayed... that's just a bunch of bureaucratic nonsense.