A Messi affair: What led to the chaos at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium?

NW DELHI: Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated halt successful Kolkata during the G.O.A.T. Tour of India 2025 descended into upset connected Saturday, arsenic mediocre assemblage absorption and information lapses overshadowed what was meant to beryllium a landmark lawsuit for Indian football fans. Thousands packed the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) hoping to spot the Argentine great, lone to permission frustrated and disappointed.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Messi’s quality astatine the stadium was fleeting. Surrounded by a dense information ringing and a ample entourage, the World Cup victor was incapable to implicit his planned thigh of honour arsenic the assemblage surged uncontrollably.

What was scheduled to beryllium a astir two-hour programme — including interactions with salient personalities specified arsenic Shah Rukh Khan, Sourav Ganguly and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — was chopped abbreviated to nether 30 minutes, prompting disposable choler successful the stands.As tensions rose, bottles were thrown and chairs damaged, exposing superior gaps successful assemblage power astatine 1 of the country’s biggest sporting venues.

Lionel Messi GOAT circuit of India: What led to the chaos astatine Salt Lake Stadium?

Many ticket-holders, including those who paid premium prices, complained that they failed to spot Messi astatine each — either successful idiosyncratic oregon connected the stadium’s large screens — contempt waiting for hours. The beingness of politicians and dignitaries occupying cardinal areas further constricted visibility, adding to the consciousness of exclusion among fans.

Outside the stadium, disgruntled supporters told the media that Messi had remained connected the tract lone concisely earlier being escorted distant for information reasons.The chaos stood successful crisp opposition to the earlier temper successful the city. Earlier successful the day, Messi had virtually unveiled a 70-foot robust statue of himself astatine the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club successful Lake Town, depicting him holding the FIFA World Cup trophy — a infinitesimal that drew wide admiration.However, the scenes astatine Salt Lake Stadium yet formed a shadiness implicit Kolkata’s hosting of the planetary icon, raising superior questions astir lawsuit readying and information arsenic Messi’s India circuit moves ahead.