What went wrong during Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour in Kolkata? It became clearer after officials reviewed the chaos at Salt Lake Stadium, according to The Times of India.
A white Audi carrying Lionel Messi, along with Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the venue around 11.30 AM. It was quickly surrounded by VIPs, politicians, police officers and their aides.
The security cordon collapsed as people rushed in for selfies, photos and autographs. It made it difficult for the players to even step out of the car.
For a brief period, Messi appeared calm and cheerful. He walked with Suarez and De Paul to the centre circle, where former Indian footballers greeted him.
Former footballer Dipendu Biswas touched Messi’s left foot and got his jersey signed. Mehtab Hossain, another former player, managed to get a shirt signed for his son.
The situation worsened when politicians and some police personnel pushed forward for selfies. Witnesses told TOI that the pushing and shoving became aggressive.
Messi looked uncomfortable but tried to stay composed as the crowd closed in. Then, this happened.
Someone close to politicians and organisers tried to get Messi to sign a T-shirt. During the attempt, the pen scratched the World Cup winner’s body.
It immediately alerted his security team. They felt safety arrangements were weak and warned that the situation could turn dangerous. Soon after, Messi informed the organiser, Satadru Dutta, that he wanted to leave the stadium.
Around 60,000 spectators were there inside the venue. However, they were not informed what had happened. Anger spread quickly after waiting for Messi to return.
Fans eventually damaged stadium property, and several police officers were injured in the chaos.
According to TOI, officials now blame VIP passes freely given to politicians, organisers and their extended circles. One VIP holder even grabbed Messi’s hand for a selfie.
Event organiser, Satadru Dutta, kept asking the crowd to maintain order, but no one listened. Police near the players focused on taking selfies instead of protecting them.
Some even pushed Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul aside. A woman rushed in for a photo when Messi approached the VIP gallery. That caused a crush. Messi’s team then sensed a serious safety risk and decided to leave. Apparently, his manager feared Messi’s ‘life risk’.
"I heard his manager say 'vida' (life in Spanish) to Messi. That's when I realised Messi's team sensed a serious threat to his safety and wanted to leave," a witness told TOI.
As the disorder grew, people without tickets forced their way into the stadium. This turned the confusion into a full-scale disruption.
Seats were ripped off, iron fencing collapsed, and thousands surged onto the pitch. A canopy and sofas for VIPs were set on fire. The administration has so far assessed damage worth ₹2.5 crore.
Mamata extends apology
The West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has blamed it on the organisers. CM Banerjee was unable to meet Messi as the Argentine legend had left before her arrival at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Soon after the incident, she apologised to Messi and his fans.
“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium,” she wrote on social media.
“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she added.
