Lionel Messi’s highly anticipated return to Kolkata for the ‘GOAT India Tour’ turned chaotic on Saturday, with the event at Salt Lake Stadium marred by severe mismanagement and fan unrest. Despite ticket prices reaching as high as Rs. 20,000, fans were left furious when Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, appeared for only about 10 minutes before being rushed away due to overcrowding on the field
The frustration stemmed largely from the lack of visibility and the heavy presence of officials surrounding the player. Fans who had waited at the gates since 8 am complained that the view of Messi was blocked by a human chain of VIPs, police, and organizers.
The scheduled coaching clinic with children was cancelled as the crowd on the field swelled, making security management impossible. "I saw people asking the police for help during the chaos, but there were policemen trying to take selfies with Messi," a fan added.
Another fan said, "Seeing the utter chaos, the management, the authorities, it was absolutely rubbish. All the people you see here love football. We all wanted to see Messi, but it was a total scam. We want our money back... The management was so bad. It is a black day for Kolkata. Kolkata is known for football, and we love football, we love Argentina, but this experience is absolutely a scam. The ministers were there with their children, and the other people could not see anything... We are very hurt."
Disappointment was compounded by the absence of Shah Rukh Khan at the stadium, despite expectations raised by organizers. The Bollywood actor had met Messi earlier in the day during a virtual unveiling of a 70-foot statue of the footballer, but he did not attend the main ground event.
"They said they would bring Shah Rukh Khan too. They didn't bring anyone," a disheartened fan remarked. "He [Messi] didn't take a single kick or a single penalty... So much money, emotions, and time wasted. I think it's a scam for the people." Reports indicated that even Messi's teammates, Suarez and De Paul, looked visibly annoyed as security struggled to protect them from the crushing crowd.
Following the violence and vandalism, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a public apology to the footballer and the fans. “I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” Banerjee posted on social media.
She announced the constitution of an enquiry committee chaired by Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray to investigate the failure. "The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future," she stated.
For Kolkata, however, the long-awaited reunion with the football legend ended in bitterness. "We have given so much money for this event... It is very shameful for the event management and the government as well," a fan concluded.