Former India midfielder Lalkamal Bhowmick, who played in the exhibition match between Mohun Bagan Messi XI and Diamond Harbour Messi XI, said that Argentine superstar Lionel Messi got frustrated and lost his cool because of the chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
“Everything was going fine at the start as Messi walked into the stadium. He seemed relaxed, smiling, and shaking hands with all of us. He even gave autographs without hesitation,” Bhowmick told Sports Now.
Overcrowding sparks frustration
“The moment too many people rushed onto the field and started clicking pictures, he became visibly uncomfortable,” he added.
As the situation worsened, Messi struggled to stay calm.
“It got overcrowded very quickly, and we could see his reaction change as everyone around him started clicking pictures. He began showing signs of irritation, lost his cool, and everything went out of control,” Bhowmick said.
The former India footballer also mentioned that Messi’s security team, as well as Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, were unhappy with the mismanagement. Bhowmick said this ultimately led to the event being cut short.
Messi’s Inter Miami teammates Suarez and Rodrigo were also part of his GOAT Tour of India.
December 13 was an unforgettable day at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, which hosted football icon Lionel Messi. Thousands of fans came to the stadium, paying high ticket prices just to see the Argentine star, but many left disappointed due to the chaos.
Sourav Ganguly reportedly asked Lionel Messi to stay longer
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly and chief organiser Satadru Dutta had asked Lionel Messi to stay longer at the Salt Lake Stadium. However, Messi’s team refused all requests after sensing a potential security threat during the opening of the GOAT Tour in Kolkata on Saturday, December 13, according to ABP Ananda.
“It was heard that despite Sourav’s request, Messi decided to leave the field. Entrepreneur Satadru Dutta had also requested him to stay. Some administration officials were present as well, but Messi’s team chose not to take the risk given the law-and-order situation,” the report added.
Fans turn violent, Messi escorted out
Messi could stay on the ground for only 20-25 minutes before being escorted out. As he appeared, he was surrounded by over 100 people, including politicians, dignitaries and security personnel. When fans couldn’t get close to him, some turned violent, forcing Messi to leave the stadium.
The trouble began when frustrated spectators, upset over limited access to Messi despite paying what they called high ticket prices, started rioting inside the stadium. As the situation got out of control, police had to use a large-scale lathi charge and deploy the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to restore order.