Lionel Messi’s Indian tour got off to a controversial start. Hundreds of fans in Kolkata broke seats, fences and even the patience of the organisers during the brief appearance of the Inter Miami and world champion
The Argentine star arrived at the Salt Lake colossus, waved, took a walk on the pitch and left. All in just twenty minutes according to local media. Around him, a tide of fans who did not want to miss a second of the ’10’, although many did not even manage to see his face. “We paid 12,000 rupees (114 euros) and only saw officials and actors near Messi… why did they call us then?” complained an angry fan in front of the ANI agency cameras.
The videos of the moment, broadcast by local media and on social networks, show a crowd out of control: seats flying, objects thrown onto the field and an athletics track turned into an improvised protest area. It was a chaotic reception for an idol returning to a place where in 2011, Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0 in a friendly match.
New stops in Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi
Messi is scheduled to continue his tour of India with stops in Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. Between concerts, paddle tennis, youth clinics and charity events, the Argentine also virtually inaugurated a 21-metre statue in his honour, the new monument that Kolkata is dedicating to its modern hero. Because, despite the chaos, the devotion to the Argentine star remains intact.
“I apologize to Messi, we are investigating what happened”
The Chief Minister of the state of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, publicly apologized to Leo and announced the opening of an investigation after the serious incidents in Kolkata during the Argentine star’s visit, as part of his tour of India. The chaos broke out at the Salt Lake Stadium, where some of the fans even tore seats from the stands and threw them onto the pitch.
“I am deeply dismayed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at the Salt Lake Stadium,” Banerjee wrote on social network X, as she was on her way to the event. The leader apologised to both Messi and the fans and assured that measures will be taken to clarify what happened and prevent similar scenes from happening again.
He explained that an investigative committee has been set up to analyze the facts in detail, determine responsibilities and propose solutions for the future. The incident has caused a strong impact in a country where soccer arouses enormous passion in regions such as West Bengal, Kerala and Goa, although cricket remains the dominant sport in India.
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