Messi leaves early as angry fans hurl bottles, chairs at Kolkata event
Disappointed and furious fans, who had paid hefty ticket prices ranging from Rs3,800 to Rs11,800 to enter the stadium, expressed their rage
Argentine football icon Lionel Messi was forced to drastically cut short his highly anticipated visit to the Salt Lake Stadium today (13 December) after the event turned chaotic, with angry fans hurling plastic bottles and chairs onto the ground following an alleged failure by organisers to manage the massive crowd.
The incident occurred immediately after Messi unveiled a 70-foot-tall statue at the stadium, marking the start of his three-day "GOAT India Tour 2025."
The event, which was expected to be a celebration, quickly descended into complete disorder.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Following the statue unveiling, Messi attempted to do a lap of honour. However, the ground became dangerously crowded with officials and personnel, effectively preventing spectators from getting a proper view of the superstar from the stands.
Disappointed and furious fans, who had paid hefty ticket prices ranging from Rs3,800 to Rs11,800 to enter the stadium, expressed their rage. Eyewitnesses reported a barrage of water bottles and chairs being thrown onto the pitch.
Angry spectators also vandalised banners, ripped down Messi's posters, and attempted to break the goalposts.
Sources confirmed that due to the extreme public fury and the complete breakdown of security, Messi was rushed off the pitch in his convoy in just 20 minutes, leaving the venue much earlier than his scheduled departure time of 2pm.
The chaotic scenes saw sections of the crowd booing officials and politicians, highlighting serious lapses in crowd control and security arrangements despite the known frenzy surrounding the World Cup winner's return to India after 14 years.
Earlier in the day, Messi virtually unveiled his iron statue, which depicts him holding the Fifa World Cup, at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, the home turf of West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress lawmaker Sujit Bose, who also serves as the club's president.
Viral video clips from the tour also showed a warm interaction between Messi and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and his son, AbRam, in a photo op that blended the celebrity power of two global icons.
Messi arrived in Kolkata early today, accompanied by long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul.
The trio is scheduled to continue their India tour with visits to Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi, where they are slated to meet with top political and corporate leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
