Argentina captain Lionel Messi’s Kolkata visit, which began with fanfare and tightly scheduled appearances, ended in disorder at the Salt Lake Stadium, leaving large sections of the crowd angry and disappointed.
Messi’s day in the city started with sponsored engagements, followed by the virtual unveiling of his 70-foot statue at Lake Town. He later met Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and his son Abram, signing an autograph for the latter. SRK was also seen greeting Messi’s Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrygo de Paul, who were present during the programme.
The atmosphere shifted dramatically once Messi arrived at the Salt Lake Stadium. Supporters who had paid premium prices for tickets were eager to see the football icon in person. However, poor crowd management meant that most fans struggled to get even a clear view of the players. A dense ring of ministers, club officials, security staff and media personnel surrounded Messi, Suarez and de Paul, leaving little space and visibility for spectators in the stands.
Players were visibly uncomfortable too
As the situation grew increasingly congested, all three footballers appeared visibly uncomfortable. They eventually exited the field earlier than scheduled. Organisers assigned to manage Messi’s visit were seen focusing on taking photographs, videos and seeking autographs, further adding to the confusion. Promoter Satadru Dutta attempted to handle the situation, but the scale of the crowd proved overwhelming.
Messi’s early departure triggered anger among fans inside the stadium. Many voiced frustration over not being able to see him despite spending large sums on tickets. The situation quickly escalated as sections of the crowd began damaging stadium property. Water bottles and chairs were thrown, and spectators moved onto the field area, where the goalpost was vandalised.
As tensions rose, the stands emptied rapidly and the field filled with spectators. Complaints also emerged over the absence of effective police intervention at the peak of the unrest. What was expected to be a celebratory appearance by one of football’s greatest players instead ended with scenes of chaos, raising serious questions about event planning and crowd control at high-profile sporting events.