Sports
Messi visit turns chaotic as crowd storms pitch in India
Chaos erupted at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, India, on Saturday after football superstar Lionel Messi abruptly exited the arena during his three-day visit to the country, triggering outrage among thousands of disappointed fans.
Messi, who arrived in India earlier in the day as part of his much-publicised “GOAT Tour”, was welcomed in the eastern state of West Bengal by enthusiastic supporters chanting his name.
However, excitement soon turned to frustration when heavy security arrangements prevented many fans from getting a clear view of the Argentine icon.
Thousands of spectators, many dressed in Argentina jerseys and waving national flags, had gathered at the stadium hoping to see Messi up close and watch him participate in a short exhibition game.
Instead, the 38-year-old Inter Miami star briefly walked around the pitch, waved to the crowd and departed earlier than anticipated.
The sudden exit sparked anger among fans, several of whom had paid premium prices for tickets.
Barricades were torn down as frustrated spectators stormed the pitch, vandalised banners and tents, ripped out stadium seats and hurled water bottles onto the track.
Speaking to AFP, a 37-year-old businessman, Nabin Chatterjee, described the situation as heartbreaking, saying poor organisation robbed many fans of the opportunity to even catch a glimpse of the football legend.
Another fan, Ajay Shah, told India’s Press Trust that he spent nearly a month’s salary to attend the event with his son, only to leave disappointed.
He blamed stadium officials and security personnel for focusing on taking selfies instead of crowd management.
Before the unrest broke out, Messi had unveiled a towering 21-metre statue of himself holding the FIFA World Cup trophy, a moment that initially thrilled the crowd.
Reacting to the incident, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the breakdown of order at the venue and issued a public apology to Messi and football fans.
She confirmed that an investigation had been ordered to determine the cause of the mismanagement.
Messi is expected to continue his Indian tour with scheduled stops in Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, where he may also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The football icon recently clinched his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award after leading Inter Miami to the MLS title and finishing as the league’s top scorer.
He is also expected to spearhead Argentina’s title defence at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
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