PM Narendra Modi Presented With Lionel Messi Jersey by YPF Chief

Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was presented with an Argentine football jersey with the name of their World Cup Winning captain, Lionel Messi.

Pablo Gonzalez, President of YPF from Argentina, gifted the shirt to the Indian premier at the India Energy Week in Bengaluru.

YPF is the majority state-owned Argentine energy company, headquartered in Buenos Aires. The oil and gas company is a long-time sponsor of the AFA.

YPF renewed its contract with the AFA until 2025 back in the year 2020. The partnership allows YPF to carry out promotional and commercial activities and Lionel Messi became the “Official Image of the YPF-AFA sponsorship” and was the face of their commercial.

Messi was a key figure in Argentina’s successful campaign in Qatar which helped the club lift the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy after a prolonged wait.

It was the nation’s third World Cup title as Argentina beat France in an exhilarating exhibition of football, which required a penalty shoot-out to settle the tie.

Messi was named the best player of the tournament and was presented with the golden ball for the second time in his trophy-laden career, following his exploits back in the year 2014, when Argentina lost the final to Germany in Brazil.

Argentina opened their World Cup campaign with a shocking defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia, but head coach Lionel Scaloni rallied his men and turned their fortunes from there on out.

The seven-time Balon D’Or winner lead the way as Argentina won both their group stage games against Mexico and Poland to enter the Round of 16.

They beat Australia in their first knockout fixture before their heated quarterfinal encounter against the Netherlands, which the South American side won on penalties.

Messi and Co. breezed past Luka Modric led Croatia 3-0 in the semifinal of the tournament before coming up victorious against France to lift the title in the most dramatic fashion.