What was meant to be a dream moment for Kolkata’s football fans quickly turned into frustration and chaos on Saturday. Lionel Messi came to India earlier today and ‘City of Joy’ was his first stop. However, the much-awaited appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium was cut short due to crowd mismanagement.

A calmer stop in Hyderabad

In contrast, Messi’s second stop in Hyderabad later on Saturday passed without incident. At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Messi, De Paul and Suarez met fans, interacted with children during short rondos and watched an exhibition match from the sidelines. The trio also met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Image: PTI

A video of Messi playing with Telangana CM Revanth Reddy on the field in Hyderabad also surfaced on the internet. The footballer was felicitated after an exhibition match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. Messi gifted his team jerseys to Gandhi and Reddy later.

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What happened in Kolkata today?

The Kolkata leg was the first stop of Messi’s GOAT India Tour and had drawn massive crowds to the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. Thousands of fans packed the stadium hoping to catch a glimpse of the Argentine superstar. Instead, most walked away disappointed.

Messi arrived at the venue along with Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. He was joined on the field by West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, organiser Satadru Dutta and officials from Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, with a heavy police presence in place. As Messi made a brief lap of honour and waved to the stands, the crowd continued to swell. This made it increasingly difficult for security personnel to control movement around the field.

Image: AP

According to the original schedule, Messi was supposed to conduct a coaching clinic with children from across West Bengal. That plan was dropped as fans began pushing closer to the playing area. With the situation slipping out of control, security officials quickly escorted Messi off the pitch. The event was abandoned in about 20 minutes.

Bottles thrown, seats broken

The sudden exit triggered angry scenes inside the stadium. Bottles and chairs were thrown, banners were damaged and some fans attempted to enter the field. Several spectators complained that despite waiting for hours, they never managed to see Messi properly.

Many complained that the 5ft 7in footballer was covered with security and VVIPs because of which the crowd could not see him either in person or on the stadium’s screens.

People vent online

The backlash quickly spilled online, with fans slamming organisers for what they called “shambolic planning” and poor crowd control at the sporting venue.

Many supporters also pointed to the heavy presence of politicians and dignitaries in prime viewing areas as a major source of irritation. “We paid thousands just to watch politicians take selfies while Messi disappeared in minutes,” one fan wrote on social media.

Image: ANI

Another fan, Ajay Shah, told PTI that the experience was deeply disappointing. “I paid Rs 5,000 and came with my son to see Messi, not politicians. There wasn’t even drinking water available. This was complete mismanagement,” he said.

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SRK meets Messi

Earlier in the day, Messi had virtually unveiled a 70-foot iron statue of himself holding the FIFA World Cup trophy at Lake Town’s Sree Bhumi Sporting Club. The statue, completed in 40 days, was widely praised and had built up excitement across the city; the excitement that later turned into anger at the stadium. The footballer met Shah Rukh Khan and his son Abram during the unveiling ceremony.

In a brief video, the actor was seen approaching the footballer and Messi later clicking pictures with Abram.

Messi’s India tour now moves to Mumbai on Sunday, where he is scheduled to appear at the CCI and the Wankhede Stadium. On December 15, Messi will head to Delhi for the final leg of the tour.