Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni turned 45 on Tuesday (7,Jul 2026) and received a unique birthday tribute from FIFA that delighted fans across social media. Joining in the celebrations, FIFA referenced the viral phrase “Thala for a reason” in an Instagram post featuring Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. The three football superstars are currently level on seven goals each in the race for the Golden Boot at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Fans loved the creative connection between football and cricket and the post soon went viral on social media.
The number 7 has a special link with Dhoni, as he wore the No. 7 jersey throughout his cricket career and was also born on Jul 7, the seventh day of the seventh month.
Dhoni is widely known as “Thala,” a Tamil word meaning leader. The nickname became popular because of his long association with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Over the years, fans have also made the phrase “Thala for a reason” a viral meme, often connecting any appearance of the number seven to Dhoni, even when there is no direct link.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 Live on Zee5 Photograph: (WION)
FIFA’s birthday post cleverly used this trend by linking Dhoni with the seven-goal tally of Messi, Mbappe and Haaland in the ongoing World Cup.
The post also drew attention to the exciting Golden Boot race, with all three stars level on seven goals. Messi has a chance to move ahead when Argentina faces Egypt in the Round of 16 match in Atlanta on Tuesday (Jul 7 IST).
