How Lionel Messi inspired Hyderabad schoolchildren beyond the FIFA World Cup

The World Cup magic was alive and wild! Argentina and Egypt went head-to-head in a heart-pounding Round of 16 battle, which the former won in exhilarating fashion with Enzo Fernández netting the winner in stoppage time.

In Atlanta, the stadium buzzed with cheers. But the real fun was 14,010 km away in Hyderabad, where kids from the city’s welfare schools, joined by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, watched every twist and turn on a giant screen and cheered like they were right there on the field.

L Rishi Bharat, a Class 10 student from Telangana Social Welfare Residential School & Junior College (TGWREIS), Shaikpet, told the Indian Express it was a delightful experience: “Staying that late in the night and watching Lionel Messi play in such kind of atmosphere with CM sir with us, it is unforgettable.”

A giant LED screen was set up in the auditorium for the game. A total of 200 students attended the screening.

Lasting Inspiration

For Bharat, who is also a handball player, a regular day in school starts at 5 a.m. in the morning and ends at his hostel at 9:30 p.m. “But the match was so good we did not feel dozy at all,” he said.

“Even those who had started to fall asleep woke up in the second half after how the match twisted and turned,” said K Hari Kishan, the head of the Physical Department at the facility.

Welfare school children watching Argentina vs Egypt match with Telangana CM Revanth Reddy. (Special Arrangement)

Though Bharat’s favourite football player, Neymar Jr., was not in action, he and his friends showed their full allegiance to Messi’s Argentina. “It was quite tense among us friends; we kept discussing everything that was happening and what could happen next. We thought Egypt’s players committed a few fouls that the referee did not call. We felt frustrated, but eventually everything changed in the last 10 minutes…all of us were elated with the result.”

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By the time the game was finished, as the students returned to the residence, the clock ticked 1:30 in the morning, but they did not worry about the logistics. “The government has provided us with two buses to accommodate the 100 students we have selected. We have picked students who have played sports in school in some form. We have escorted four teachers,” the Principal of the school, K Bala Swamy, said.

“The hospitality was top-notch…,” Kishan said. “Children were provided with snacks a couple of times during the game, and water bottles were given regularly.”

Kishan believed initiatives like these would motivate children to participate in more sports. “It is events like this as a child that inspire you…not just the students who were there and play sports but also others who are not there who will start picking something…there were about 200-300 students who were nagging me that they would come, but I had the difficult task of choosing because of the restrictions given by the government to pick only 100 from our school,” he said.

“Some of them will wake up early now and start working out on the ground. They will think they have to impress me, for me to pick them if the opportunity comes again”, he chuckled.

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However, the facilities at the school do present a challenge. “Children do love football in our school, but there is only one ground available all the time, and it is a little small; that’s the problem we have,” Kishan said.

“It is the same ground on which students practice Kho-Kho, Handball, Kabaddi and Volleyball. We have produced players who have competed at national levels while practising here,” he added.

Midnight Magic

Messi visited Hyderabad on December 13 as part of his GOAT India tour in 2025. An official statement from the Telangana government on Tuesday said, “In the context of Lionel Messi having visited Hyderabad and infused new enthusiasm into the sports arena, the match between the teams of Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium was watched through special arrangements.”

“It is well-known that Messi, to inspire students and sports enthusiasts, roamed around the entire field at Uppal Stadium, filling everyone with excitement,” it further added.

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Welfare school children watching Argentina vs Egypt match with Telangana CM Revanth Reddy. (Special Arrangement)

Revanth Reddy, an avid supporter of football, said, “It was a wonderful experience to witness a contest featuring one of football’s greatest icons, Lionel Messi, alongside young football enthusiasts.”

He stated, “Our Government is committed to nurturing a vibrant sporting culture in Telangana. We will continue to create opportunities, strengthen sports infrastructure, and encourage our students to embrace football and excel on the global stage.”

Argentina will face Switzerland in the quarter-final on July 11; however, Kishan says there was no information yet about screening that game, which is at 6:30 a.m. IST.