Messi Kolkata tour: The much-anticipated event in the “City of Joy” turned into chaos on Saturday when thousands of fans at Salt Lake Stadium erupted in protest after they were unable to catch a glimpse of Argentina superstar Lionel Messi despite paying high ticket prices.
The World Cup-winning captain arrived at the stadium at around 11.30am, accompanied by his long-time team-mate Luis Suárez and Argentina’s Rodrigo De Paulo.
After his vehicle was parked on the touchline, Messi entered the pitch but was immediately surrounded by a thick crowd of VIPs, organisers, celebrities and security personnel. He only walked a short distance before briefly waving to the crowd as chants of “Messi, Messi” echoed through the stadium.
Messi in India: What happened at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata?
Messi’s return to the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, his first appearance at the venue since 2011, descended into chaos, with crowds breaching security barriers, acts of vandalism and a hasty police response, according to PTI.
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However, it soon became clear to fans that the star remained tightly wrapped in tape and was barely visible from much of the stands. Many viewers complained that even the giant screens did not provide a proper view.
Discontent quickly escalated. The cry of “We want Messi” grew louder when it became clear that he would not complete the full lap of the stadium as promised in the programme.
Instead, Messi turned around midway and was ushered out long before his scheduled appearance was due to end.
Tempers flared as news of his imminent departure spread. Bottles and plastic chairs were thrown onto the pitch, sponsorship banners and billboards were torn down, fiberglass seats were smashed and some fans attempted to tear down the barricades in an attempt to storm the pitch.
Read also | Messi leaves Salt Lake Stadium within minutes; angry fans throw bottles
The police were eventually forced to use batons to clear away the fans who rushed onto the pitch.
The riots overshadowed the event, which was billed as a major celebration of one of football’s greatest icons.
Messi in India: Fans accuse politicians of messing up Messi, say organizers reneged on promises
Several disgruntled spectators said ministers and politicians had monopolized Messi’s time, leaving fans feeling shortchanged and accusing organizers of failing to keep key promises, including a much-hyped appearance by actor Shah Rukh Khan.
One fan described the event as poorly managed, claiming that Messi appeared for barely a few minutes, was surrounded by political leaders and did not even touch the ball. He said the crowd had been misled by claims of celebrity involvement and felt their money, time and emotions had been wasted.
“We are very disappointed… My child was very excited to see Messi… I think it is a scam for people. When Messi arrived, everyone surrounded him,” a fan told ANI.
A third fan claimed to have paid ₹12,000 per ticket but could not even catch a glimpse of Messi’s face as he claimed only leaders and film personalities were allowed access to the star while regular ticket holders were kept at a safe distance.
Messi India Tour: What West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Said?
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed deep concern over the development at the stadium.
Taking to X, she said: “I am deeply concerned and shocked by the mismanagement we witnessed at the Salt Lake Stadium today. I was on my way to the stadium to attend this event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who gathered to catch a glimpse of their favorite footballer, Lionel Messi.”
Read also | Lionel Messi unveils his statue in Kolkata, meets Shah Rukh Khan and AbRam
She added that a commission will be established to thoroughly investigate the incident. Banerjee noted that the panel will investigate what went wrong, identify those responsible and suggest steps to ensure that such incidents do not recur, while offering an apology to sports enthusiasts.
Messi Kolkata tour: BJP reacts
Meanwhile, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya alleged that “some crooks in their greed to mint money have created this situation,” according to PTI.
He said the responsibility for the fiasco rested with the state government and alleged that TMC leaders encouraged what he described as “greedy organisers” who were more focused on self-promotion, thus depriving ticket holders of a proper view of the football icon.
He added that the episode brought the state into disrepute.
