What was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration for football fans in Kolkata turned into a chaotic and deeply disappointing episode on Saturday at Salt Lake Stadium, as the much-anticipated Lionel Messi event descended into disorder.
Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, has ordered an inquiry under a retired judge into the incident. “I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” the CM posted on her X handle.
She added: “I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident.”
By 8:30 am, streets surrounding the stadium were already overflowing with supporters. Fans, dressed in Argentina, Inter Miami and Barcelona jerseys, thronged the area in large numbers, hurrying to enter the venue early, hoping to secure the best possible view of their idol. The atmosphere outside promised a historic day for Indian football fans.
Inside the stadium, the event began on a celebratory note. Local singer Anik Dhar set the tone with the official GOAT Tour theme song, a special tribute to Messi. The cultural build-up continued with a tango dance performance, followed by Rabindra Sangeet, blending global football culture with Kolkata’s artistic heritage. An exhibition match featuring former legends — Mohun Bagan Messi XI versus Diamond Harbour Messi XI — kept the crowd engaged as anticipation steadily built.
The defining moment arrived when Messi finally emerged from the AD cut-out and walked to the centre stage. The stadium erupted as tens of thousands of fans roared, “Messi, Messi” in unison. For a brief moment, it was an emotional, goosebumps-inducing scene, one that many supporters had waited years to experience.
However, things quickly began to unravel.
Messi remained on the pitch for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, but throughout the time, he was constantly surrounded by more than 100 people, including politicians, dignitaries and security personnel. This heavy presence on the field severely restricted visibility for fans seated in the stands. Large sections of the crowd were denied a clear view of Messi and were left with no option but to watch him on the giant screen.
Frustration soon turned into anger. Spectators began throwing water bottles onto the pitch. Within minutes, the situation escalated as plastic bucket chairs were broken and hurled onto the field, forcing officials to intervene and bringing the event to an abrupt halt.
The sense of betrayal among fans was palpable. Ticket prices ranged from ₹4,000 to ₹10,000, with many supporters saving for months to witness their hero in the flesh. A fan from Hooghly, who had reportedly set aside pocket money for months to buy a ticket, left the stadium in tears. Fans from Kerala, Karnataka and several other states, many of whom had borne the cost of flights and accommodation, also exited the venue in despair.
An event expected to be a seamless spectacle and a proud moment for Indian football instead spiralled into chaos. What should have made global headlines for celebration ended up drawing international attention for the wrong reasons.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news
Also check out
Salt Lake Stadium dressed in blue as Kolkata gears up for Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour.
The buzz is electric. All roads lead to VYBK.#LionelMessi #goattourindia @Rahul_01Giri @RohanDC98 @debasissen @Wowmomo4u pic.twitter.com/7vNCi3c25F
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) December 13, 2025
