Messi Tour Chaos in India: Angry Fans Storm Kolkata Stadium After Football Icon’s Abrupt Exit

Messi Tour Chaos in India: Angry Fans Storm Kolkata Stadium After Football Icon’s Abrupt Exit

Chaos erupted at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, on Saturday after Lionel Messi abruptly left the arena during his highly anticipated visit to India, triggering anger among thousands of fans who had paid heavily to see the football superstar.

The Argentina and Inter Miami forward, who arrived in West Bengal as part of a three-day visit dubbed the “GOAT Tour”, was welcomed earlier in the day by jubilant supporters chanting his name. However, excitement quickly turned into frustration when tight security arrangements prevented fans from getting a clear view of the 38-year-old football legend.

Wearing Messi jerseys and waving Argentine flags, spectators packed the stadium, hoping to watch the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner play a brief exhibition match. Instead, Messi merely walked around the pitch, waved to fans and left earlier than expected.

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Moments later, angry spectators broke barricades, stormed the pitch, ripped out stadium seats and hurled water bottles, vandalising banners and tents. Several fans complained of poor planning and crowd control.

“For me, watching Messi is a dream, but I missed the chance due to mismanagement,” said 37-year-old businessman Nabin Chatterjee, speaking to AFP.

Tickets reportedly sold for over $100, with many fans saying they had spent a month’s salary to attend the event. “I paid Rs 5,000 to watch Messi, not politicians. The organisers failed us,” another fan, Ajay Shah, told the Press Trust of India (PTI).

Before the unrest, Messi unveiled a 21-metre statue of himself holding the FIFA World Cup, a major highlight of the event.

Following the incident, West Bengal Police confirmed the arrest of the event’s chief organiser, while authorities began discussions on possible ticket refunds.

State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologised to Messi and football fans, describing the situation as “disturbing” and “shocking,” and ordered a probe into the incident.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) distanced itself from the event, clarifying that it had no role in the planning or execution of the privately organised tour.

Despite the chaos in Kolkata, Messi’s India tour will continue with scheduled visits to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, including a possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Messi recently won his second consecutive MLS MVP award after leading Inter Miami to the Major League Soccer title and is expected to captain Argentina at the 2026 World Cup defence in North America.

Messi Tour Chaos in India: Angry Fans Storm Kolkata Stadium After Football Icon’s Abrupt Exit