From pitch to pujas: Messi plays football with elephant, gets traditional welcome at Ambani’s Vantara
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Jamnagar: Global football icon Lionel Messi traded the stadium for the sanctuary during a high-profile visit to Vantara, the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre founded by Anant Ambani. The Argentine legend’s tour was a unique blend of spiritual immersion and wildlife conservation, marked by traditional Hindu rituals and playful interactions with rescued animals.
Accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, Messi was welcomed with elaborate Indian hospitality. The arrival featured vibrant folk music and a ceremonial floral shower, setting a spiritual tone for the visit.
Embracing the facility’s ethos rooted in ‘Sanatana Dharma’, Messi participated in a series of traditional rituals. The football star took part in a ‘Maha Aarti’ and offered prayers during the Ambe Mata, Ganesh, Hanuman, and Shiv Abhishek pujas, seeking blessings for global peace and unity.
The visit included a comprehensive tour of Vantara’s ecosystem, including the Green Energy Complex and the wildlife hospital. At the Foster Care Centre, Anant and Radhika Ambani honoured the guest by naming a lion cub "Lionel," symbolising hope and continuity.
Messi toured the Big Cat, Herbivore, and Reptile Care Centres, observing the advanced husbandry protocols and interacting with the animals. He was seen feeding giraffes, rhinos, and okapis, while expressing admiration for the scale of the operations and the dedicated veterinary care on display.
The highlight of the day occurred at the Elephant Care Centre. Messi met Maniklal, a calf rescued from the logging industry two years ago. In a heartwarming display of the "universal language of play," Messi engaged the enthusiastic calf in an impromptu football session, delighting onlookers.
Speaking in Spanish, the World Cup winner praised the initiative. "What Vantara does is truly beautiful—the work for animals, the care they receive, the way they are rescued and looked after. It is genuinely impressive," Messi said. "We had a wonderful time... We will surely visit again to continue inspiring and supporting this meaningful work."
The visit concluded with the traditional ‘Nariyal Utsarg’ and ‘Matka Phod’ rituals, underscoring the shared humanitarian values between the Leo Messi Foundation and Vantara’s conservation mission.