Anger broke out at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium in India after football star Lionel Messi appeared briefly and left earlier than expected, leaving many fans frustrated.
Thousands of supporters had paid as much as 12,000 rupees to attend the event and see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward in person. Many travelled long distances and filled the stadium hours before his arrival.
Messi came out to walk around the pitch, waving at fans, but his view was largely blocked by a crowd of officials, security personnel and celebrities. About 20 minutes later, he was escorted away from the stadium.
As it became clear that his appearance was over, parts of the crowd turned hostile. Some fans tore up plastic seats, vandalised banners and tents, and threw chairs and water bottles towards the pitch. Security forces moved in to restore order.
A fan at the stadium told Indian news agency ANI, “Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi. Why did they call us then? We have got a ticket for 12,000 rupees, but we were not even able to see his face.”
Another supporter said people had spent the equivalent of a month’s salary to attend the event. “I paid Rs 5,000 for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi, not politicians. The police and military personnel were taking selfies, and the management is to blame,” he told local media.
Messi, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022 and is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, was reportedly expected to take part in a short exhibition game, according to AFP. That did not happen.
The footballer is in India for his “GOAT tour”, a series of promotional appearances in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. Earlier in the tour, a 70-foot statue of Messi was unveiled in Kolkata, though he appeared virtually at that event due to security concerns.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “deeply disturbed and shocked” by what happened at the stadium.
Announcing an enquiry, she apologised to Messi and sports fans. “The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” she said.
A police official said the chief organiser of the event had been arrested, adding that authorities would also look into how ticket refunds could be arranged for disappointed fans. The All India Football Federation said it was not involved in organising the private event.
Messi was accompanied during his short appearance by Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez and Argentina midfielder Rodrigo de Paul. Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan also met him earlier in the day.
Despite the chaos, many fans said their admiration for Messi remains strong. A 24-year-old lawyer who travelled nearly 1,900 kilometres to Kolkata said, “Messi is the player I relate with the most. No one can match his talent. He gives me hope that with talent you can do anything.”
Messi’s representatives had not commented on the incident at the time of filing this report.
