What was meant to be one of the most extravagant football events the city has hosted in recent years ended in disappointment, confusion and unprecedented chaos - all triggered by what insiders are calling “severe mismanagement around Lionel Messi’s movement inside the stadium.” The Argentinian soccer legend was on India tour and made his first stop at Kolkata as part of the GOAT event organised by Satadru Dutta. The plan was that he will visit the stadium to meet and greet the people, where fans had bought tickets from the range of Rs 4000 to Rs 10,000. According to highly placed sources within the organising team, Lionel Messi entered the stadium around 11.30am on Saturday morning, where thousands of fans were waiting with bated breath for a glimpse of the global icon.
But from the moment he stepped in, Messi appeared visibly upset. The footballer was expected to walk through a designated corridor offering fans at least a distant view. Instead, he found himself surrounded tightly by a group of people - several of whom were not part of his security protocol. In visuals now in circulation, Messi can be seen hemmed in by individuals identified as Aroop Biswas, a TMC minister, and a handful of others who had reportedly been given special access by the organisers. Fans positioned at a distance in the galleries could see almost nothing. A senior source close to the organising committee confirmed: “That is when Messi got irritated and asked, ‘Why am I only going this side and that side?’ He felt the movement was chaotic and unnecessary.” The Argentine star remained inside the stadium for barely 10 minutes before his team decided that the situation was unsafe and unorganised and opted to leave immediately.
Once Messi stepped out and sat inside his car, there was a hurried attempt by the authorities to make him stay.
Eyewitnesses and officials confirm that the DGP Bengal Rajiv Kumar personally walked up to Messi’s vehicle, requesting him to return for a few more minutes. Even former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, who was present at the venue, appealed to him, saying,“It would be nice if you can stay a little longer.” But Messi’s management remained firm. The star, already displeased, refused to re-enter the stadium, and the convoy drove out.
The Fallout - Stadium Descended Into Chaos The moment fans realised Messi had left abruptly, the situation spiralled. Within minutes, isolated groups in the stands began - Breaking chairs, shouting slogans against the organisers, throwing bottles and objects at the barricades, damaging entry gates and signage and even set ablaze several chairs. The organisers had arranged for no vehicle for the star along with Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul - to move around the stadium to greet the fans. Insiders say, Satadru Datta rejected all such ideas and that it was he who allowed VVIPs unplanned access to Messi.
Security personnel struggled to control the crowd as more spectators joined in, furious that after hours of waiting, many did not even get a glimpse of Messi. Police reinforcements were called in as sections of the gallery were vandalised, metal railings were pushed down. Videos of the chaos soon flooded social media, further amplifying the backlash. Sources within the organising team privately admitted that the lack of coordination between Messi’s management, local authorities and the event handlers led to the fiasco. A senior official described the backstage scene as “complete breakdown of protocol,” saying: “Too many people were pushed into Messi’s proximity. The entire movement plan was compromised. Messi felt unsafe and insulted.”
While the event was organised by private organiser but the political backlash was imminent. In poll bound Bengal, opposition BJP lashed out the Mamata Banerjee government calling a failure in managing the crowd. The Chief Minister, soon after the incident issued an apology “to Messi and all sports lovers” and constituted a special inquiry into the mess. She was herself on her way to the stadium but had to make an u turn after the chaos broke out. A day that should have been historic - instead ended in embarrassment.
What was intended as a landmark evening for Indian football turned into a case study in failed event planning. Messi’s abrupt exit, the ensuing vandalism, and the state’s public apology underline how a poorly managed moment can overshadow massive fan excitement and months of preparation. Insiders maintain that the star’s decision to leave was not sudden but a direct result of feeling boxed in, mishandled and frustrated by the lack of proper crowd and movement management.
