Messi Kolkata tour: What went wrong at Salt Lake Stadium in ‘city of joy’ that led to chaos? Explained

Messi Kolkata tour: A much-anticipated event in ‘city of joy’ spiralled into chaos on Saturday as thousands of fans inside the Salt Lake Stadium erupted in protest after being unable to catch a clear glimpse of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, despite having paid high ticket prices.

The World Cup-winning captain reached the stadium at around 11.30 am, accompanied by his long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and fellow Argentine Rodrigo De Paul.

After his vehicle was parked near the touchline, Messi stepped onto the pitch but was immediately surrounded by a dense cluster of VIPs, organisers, celebrities and security staff. He walked only a short distance before briefly waving to the crowd, as chants of “Messi, Messi” rang out across the stadium.

Messi India tour: What went wrong at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium?

Messi’s return to the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, his first appearance at the venue since 2011, degenerated into disorder, with crowds breaching security barriers, acts of vandalism, and hurried police intervention, according to PTI.

It soon became clear to fans, however, that the star remained tightly cordoned off, leaving him barely visible from large sections of the stands. Many spectators complained that even the giant screens failed to provide a proper view.

Discontent quickly escalated. Calls of “We want Messi” intensified when it became apparent that he would not complete the full lap of the stadium that had been promised in the programme.

Instead, Messi turned back halfway and was escorted out well before his scheduled appearance was due to end.

As news of his early exit spread, tempers flared. Bottles and plastic chairs were hurled onto the pitch, sponsor banners and hoardings were ripped down, fibreglass seats were smashed, and some fans tried to tear open barricades in an attempt to storm the field.

Police were eventually forced to baton-charge to clear fans who had surged onto the field.

The turmoil overshadowed an event that had been touted as a grand celebration of one of football’s greatest icons.

Messi in India: Fans accuse politicians of hogging Argentina player

Several disgruntled spectators told that ministers and politicians had monopolised Messi’s time, leaving fans feeling short-changed and accusing organisers of failing to keep key promises, including the much-publicised appearance of actor Shah Rukh Khan.

One fan described the event as poorly managed, alleging that Messi appeared for barely a few minutes, remained encircled by political leaders, and did not even touch the ball. He said the crowd had been misled by claims about celebrity participation and felt that their money, time and emotions had been wasted.

"We are very disappointed... My child was very excited to see Messi... I think it's a scam for the people. When Messi arrived, everyone surrounded him," a fan told ANI.

A third fan claimed he had paid ₹12,000 for a ticket but could not even catch a glimpse of Messi’s face, alleging that only leaders and film personalities were allowed near the star while ordinary ticket-holders were kept at a distance.

Messi India tour: What did West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee say?

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep concern over the developments at the stadium.

She took to X and said, “I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi."

She added a committee would be set up to thoroughly investigate the incident. Banerjee noted that the panel would examine what went wrong, identify those responsible, and suggest steps to ensure such incidents do not recur, while also offering an apology to sports enthusiasts.

Messi Kolkata tour: BJP reacts

Meanwhile, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya claimed that “some fraudsters, in their greed to mint money, created this situation”, as per PTI.

He said the responsibility for the fiasco rested with the state government, alleging that TMC leaders encouraged what he described as “greedy organisers” who were more focused on self-promotion, thereby depriving ticket-holders of a proper view of the football icon.

He added this episode brought disrepute to the state.