SPORTS
Argentina football great Lionel Messi, who is currently on 3-day tour to India, arrived Kolkata early in the morning. Messi met SRK and unvelied his 70ft tall statue after that he went to Salt Lake stadium. However, he left the stadium after making a brief appearance. Read here to know why he left.
The Kolkata leg of Lionel Messi's G.O.A.T. Tour on Saturday disappointed many fans at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan.
Angry fans reacted by throwing bottles and chairs onto the field. Posters promoting the GOAT Tour were torn down and scattered. Many spectators felt their expensive tickets were a waste, as they were denied the chance to see Messi up close.
Fans could not get a glimpse of the Argentine football great. Despite paying a hefty sum for the event, with tickets ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 45,000, several fans claimed they could not even properly see the football legend. Messi arrived at the venue at 11:15 a.m. but left the stadium early. The 2022 World Cup winner was supposed to take a full lap of the stadium, but he did not.
MAJOR CHAOS at Salt Lake Stadium.
December 13, 2025
Angry fans have resorted to vandalising banners and seats after Lionel Messi was forced to stop his lap of honour due to overcrowding around him.
Fans couldn’t get a glimpse of Messi, and he remains stuck within the stadium premises amid the… pic.twitter.com/HppjfbxJt8
Lionel Messi In #Kolkata
Massive Crowd Unrest At Salt Lake Stadium As #Messi Leaves The Stadium in just 10 mins. Bottles thrown, Seats Broken #lionelmessi pic.twitter.com/BRvxp5FLwJDecember 13, 2025
He was escorted out amid rising tension as the situation worsened inside the stadium. Fans flooded the playing area, making control difficult for authorities.
There were also attempts to damage infrastructure, including the goalposts. The gallery emptied quickly as spectators filled the field, overwhelming the event's management.