# Rahul Vaidya's Messi Praise Backfires: Trolled for Telling Indians to "Own Their Language"! Imagine a global superstar like Lionel Messi landing in India, sticking proudly to his Spanish roots, and inspiring a Bollywood singer to preach cultural pride—only for it to explode into a massive online roast. That's exactly what happened when Rahul Vaidya took to social media, hailing Messi as a "global icon with zero language insecurity" and urging Indians to learn from him.[1] ## The Spark: Messi's India Tour and Rahul's Take During his high-profile India visit, Messi met Bollywood stars like Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff, and Shilpa Shetty, but chose to communicate in Spanish via a translator, bypassing English entirely. Rahul Vaidya, the *Bigg Boss 14* winner and singer, shared this on social media: "One thing we Indians must learn from Messi: Own your language. Own your culture. English is a skill—not a master. Learn it well, but don't be enslaved by it. Looking down on your own language is the real insecurity."[1] He praised Messi's authenticity, noting how the football legend stayed true to his roots amid global fame, sparking initial fan admiration for the message of cultural pride.[1] But not everyone bought it. Netizens quickly turned the praise into backlash, trolling Rahul for his comments.[2] Critics pointed out the irony: Why lecture Indians on language when Messi, from Argentina, was just being himself in a multilingual world? Social media erupted with memes, sarcastic replies, and accusations of hypocrisy, especially given Rahul's history of stirring controversies—like his past jabs at Virat Kohli that drew fan fury and even a call from Kohli's brother to "focus on singing."[3][4] ## Why This Blew Up: Language, Culture, and Celebrity Hot Takes Rahul's post tapped into a bigger debate: In a globalized India, is English a "master" or just a tool? Fans who cheered Messi's unapologetic vibe initially loved it, but detractors saw Rahul's advice as preachy or out of touch.[1][2] This isn't Rahul's first rodeo—his Kohli "joker" remark led to blocks, abuse, and public spats, proving he thrives on bold opinions that divide.[3][5] Messi's tour, meant to celebrate football and culture, instead fueled a viral clash on identity and insecurity.
Lionel Messi embracing his roots—image via Unsplash (free stock photo).
Citations
1.https://www.indiaforums.com/article/global-icon-zero-language-insecurity-rahul-vaidya-praises-messi-for-staying-true-to-roots_230051
2.https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/tv/rahul-vaidya-trolled-after-asking-indians-to-learn-own-language-and-culture-from-lionel-messi-article-153308792/amp
3.https://sports.ndtv.com/ipl-2025/after-calling-virat-kohli-joker-singer-rahul-vaidya-says-pagal-nahi-8350771
4.https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/music/rahul-vaidya-says-virat-kohlis-brother-told-him-to-focus-on-singing-after-controversy-101749559745979.html
5.https://www.patrika.com/en/cricket-news/rahul-vaidyas-controversial-remarks-on-virat-kohli-spark-social-media-uproar-19577402
6.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/abhijeet-sawant-reacts-to-rahul-vaidyas-controversy-with-virat-kohli-he-is-somebody-who-will-never-go-unnoticed/articleshow/121239142.cms
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