The legendary footballer Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit, eagerly awaited by fans, wrapped up in just 22 minutes, causing chaos at Salt Lake Stadium. Fans were expecting a memorable day for football in India from Messi's second visit to the city as part of his GOAT Tour. However, what ensued was quite the opposite.
The FIFA World Cup winner's arrival triggered immense excitement among fans. By Saturday morning, swarms of fans had already gathered at the stadium to catch a glimpse of him. However, by midday, the entire event fell apart. Let's uncover what exactly led to this chaos.
Over 50,000 Fans Arrival
Around 50,000 spectators thronged Salt Lake Stadium, many having spent over ₹4,000 on tickets. They remained helpless as the scene unfolded: the football icon was surrounded by politicians, VIPs, heavy security, and individuals more interested in selfies.
Read more: "Eager to return to India...", Messi shared with Sanjiv Goenka before the chaos in Kolkata
The gates of the stadium opened at 8 AM, and at 11:30 AM, Messi entered the field alongside his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. A thunderous applause from thousands of fans welcomed their arrival.
Surrounded by VIPs
According to PTI, Messi soon found himself encircled by politicians, police officials, VIPs, and their entourages, forming a human barrier. Spectators could hardly catch a glimpse of the player they came to see.
With a puzzled smile, Messi attempted a slow lap around the field, signing autographs for some former players, yet the pandemonium only escalated.
Read more: "Insult to Bengal...", BJP-TMC blame each other over chaos at Messi's Kolkata event
Promoter Satadru Dutta repeatedly urged the crowd over the public address system to step back. With a voice filled with tension, he pleaded, “Please leave him alone. Please vacate the field.”
However, his appeals largely fell on deaf ears. Eventually, due to safety concerns, Messi was escorted out of the stadium well in advance of his scheduled hour-long program, leading to the decision to cancel the event. The aftermath saw conditions deteriorate further with vandalism, damage to decorations and property, and chaos throughout the venue.
Ganguly Wished for Messi to Stay Longer
Reports indicate that Sourav Ganguly, one of the event's chief guests, attempted to persuade Messi to stay a bit longer. Following the event’s cancellation, organizers, including West Bengal's Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and State Police DGP Rajiv Kumar, were seen engaging with Messi's team, trying to convince them to continue the program.
During this time, Ganguly was overheard saying, “It would be great if you could stay a little longer.”
Messi has now departed for Hyderabad, where he is set to participate in a brief football session (kickabout) with Telangana's Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
