Thousands of football fans left Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium angry and heartbroken on Saturday after failing to get even a clear glimpse of Lionel Messi during the city leg of his much-hyped GOAT India Tour, as scenes of chaos and vandalism brought the event to an abrupt end.
For many supporters, Messi’s visit was not merely an appearance but an emotional pilgrimage years in the making. Instead, the day descended into frustration and disorder, exposing what fans described as staggering mismanagement and a sharp disconnect between expectations and reality.
“I suddenly saw hundreds of chairs flying over my head, hurled towards the field by irate fans from the stands,” said Sankha Subhra Das, who was present inside the stadium when tempers snapped. “Water bottles followed soon after. The stadium was vandalised, and the police initially struggled to bring the situation under control,” Sankha added.
According to eyewitnesses, anger spilled over when fans broke open iron gates and surged on to the pitch in their thousands. “Some lay down on the field; others climbed on to the goalposts and tore through the nets. A few even ripped up patches of grass,” Das said. “The level of frustration was staggering. Even the RAF appeared overwhelmed. Given that nearly 80,000 people were present, the police deployment was completely inadequate.”
For many supporters, the disappointment set in much earlier. Wasim Ahmed, who reached the stadium hours in advance, said fans in the stands felt shut out almost immediately after Messi arrived. “Politicians, organisers, PR teams and his entourage completely surrounded him, clicking selfies and blocking the view. Ordinary fans were shut out,” he said.
“People made real sacrifices to be there, some skipped work, one man even left his wedding. But Messi was taken away well before his scheduled time. We paid huge sums for tickets, yet couldn’t see him at all. I left deeply angry and disappointed,” Ahmed added.
Others echoed the sense of betrayal. “It was an absolutely awful experience,” said Aritra Saha. “Messi was there for barely ten minutes, completely surrounded by leaders and ministers. He didn’t even touch the ball. After spending so much money, emotion and time, he just arrived and left. It felt like everything was wasted.”
Several fans said they had paid between ₹5,000 and ₹25,000 for tickets, only to leave without seeing the football icon they had come for. “There was hope, anticipation and belief,” said Sanjana Dasgupta, who attended the event with friends. “But his presence felt distant and inaccessible. There were no announcements, no clarity, no engagement. Within minutes, he was gone. Disappointment turned into chaos, and the environment became unsafe,” she added.
Messi arrived in Kolkata in the early hours of the morning and began the day by virtually unveiling a 70-foot statue of himself. He reached Salt Lake Stadium around 11.30 am, where he was quickly surrounded by political leaders, former footballers, coaches and organisers, leaving little opportunity for tens of thousands of spectators in the packed stands to catch a glimpse of the Argentine superstar.
Although the World Cup winner waved briefly and attempted a lap of honour amid thunderous cheers, repeated efforts by security personnel to clear a viewing path failed. His brief meet-and-greet with former Indian footballers went ahead, but several scheduled programmes, including a felicitation ceremony for Bengal’s Santosh Trophy-winning team and a planned coaching session for children, were curtailed or abandoned.
Tempers finally snapped after Messi exited the stadium under heavy security. Fans hurled bottles and posters, damaged temporary structures and breached barricades, forcing the deployment of the Rapid Action Force. Police took nearly an hour to restore order. For thousands of fans who had waited years to see their footballing idol, the day ended not in celebration but in disillusionment, leaving many with the feeling that their devotion had been taken for granted.
