Chaos broke out at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium after frustrated fans threw chairs and bottles towards the pitch during Lionel Messi’s promotional appearance in India. Thousands of supporters, some paying up to Rs. 12,000 for tickets, reacted angrily after the football icon’s presence was limited to a short walk around the ground before security whisked him away.
Messi, in India as part of his “GOAT Tour”, appeared at the stadium for around 20 minutes but was largely obscured by officials and celebrities. Expectations of a short exhibition match were dashed, leading sections of the crowd to storm the pitch, vandalise banners and hurl plastic chairs and water bottles in protest.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the incident and announced a formal enquiry, apologising to both Messi and sports fans. Police confirmed the arrest of the event’s chief organiser, while authorities are also exploring possible refunds for ticket holders.
Earlier in the day, Messi had virtually unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself in Kolkata due to security concerns and met several high-profile figures, including Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. He was accompanied on the tour by Luis Suárez and Rodrigo de Paul, with events planned across Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
Despite the ugly scenes, the incident underlined Messi’s massive following in football-loving Kolkata, a city known for its passionate fan culture. However, Saturday’s unrest raised serious questions about event planning, crowd management and unmet expectations surrounding one of football’s greatest-ever players.
