Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday was gifted Lionel Messi's jersey, the picture of which is circulating on social media, by Pablo Gonzalez, the president of Argentina's state-owned company YPF during India's Energy Week in Bengaluru.
Modi received the jersey after concluding his speech during which he showcased India's phenomenal projected growth in energy demand, stable and decisive leadership, and sustained reforms to invite global investors in the country's oil and gas exploration and new energy, including green hydrogen.
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Modi has been vocal on social media about various sporting achievements. If his social media timeline is rolled back by a few months, one may come across his congratulatory message to the Argentine team after they registered a spectacular victory in the World Cup.
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Pablo Gonzalez, President of YPF from Argentina, gifted a Lionel Messi football jersey to PM Modi on the sidelines of the India Energy Week in Bengaluru.#Football | Via ANI pic.twitter.com/O7k8UbrRDi
— 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗥𝗦 (@TORCH__BEARERS) February 6, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Pablo Gonzalez, President of YPF from Argentina, gifted a Lionel Messi football jersey to PM Modi on the sidelines of the India Energy Week in Bengaluru.#Football | Via ANI pic.twitter.com/O7k8UbrRDi
— 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗥𝗦 (@TORCH__BEARERS) February 6, 2023Pablo Gonzalez, President of YPF from Argentina, gifted a Lionel Messi football jersey to PM Modi on the sidelines of the India Energy Week in Bengaluru.#Football | Via ANI pic.twitter.com/O7k8UbrRDi
— 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗥𝗦 (@TORCH__BEARERS) February 6, 2023
"This will be remembered as one of the most thrilling Football matches! Congrats to Argentina on becoming #FIFAWorldCup Champions! They've played brilliantly through the tournament. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory! @alferdez," he had tweeted back then.
Argentine star Lionel Messi had earlier stated that his participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is subject to his fitness at that time and will try to maintain his best shape given his age factor. "Because of age, it'll be difficult to make 2026. I love playing football and while I feel like I'm in good shape and enjoying this, I'm going to keep at it. It seems like a long time until the next World Cup, but it depends on how my career is going," Messi said.
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This will be remembered as one of the most thrilling Football matches! Congrats to Argentina on becoming #FIFAWorldCup Champions! They’ve played brilliantly through the tournament. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory! @alferdez
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">This will be remembered as one of the most thrilling Football matches! Congrats to Argentina on becoming #FIFAWorldCup Champions! They’ve played brilliantly through the tournament. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory! @alferdez
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2022This will be remembered as one of the most thrilling Football matches! Congrats to Argentina on becoming #FIFAWorldCup Champions! They’ve played brilliantly through the tournament. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory! @alferdez
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2022
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The World Cup champion is 35 years old and will turn 36 on June 24, 2023. By the time the next FIFA World Cup starts, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner will be 39 years old. Messi had stated last year that the tournament in Qatar would be his last. However, after Argentina won the World Cup in December, the forward indicated that he is willing to compete in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in three years.
