A day that should have gone down in the history books as one of the most joyous turned chaotic at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday as fans, frustrated with the organisation of the event, began throwing
projectiles during Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour.
During his lap of honour at the VYBK, Messi was surrounded by politicians and organisers, leaving passionate fans unable to get a proper view of him. This led to security breaches, forcing Messi to halt the lap midway. Fans expressed their frustrations by removing chairs and tossing various projectiles.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee apologised for the mismanagement that caused Messi’s honour lap to be cut short. The chaos ensued after the crowd was denied a clear view of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
DGP Rajeev Kumar opened up on the factors that led to the chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium stating that there was a sense of discontent among the gathered fans over the arrangements made for the event, which ultimately resulted in chaos.
Earlier in the day, Messi unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town during the first leg of his G.O.A.T. Tour India 2025 in Kolkata.
Messi arrived in Kolkata early Saturday morning, greeted enthusiastically by thousands of fans who gathered at hotels, streets, and landmarks, hoping to see him.
This visit marks Messi’s first trip to India since 2011, when he helped Argentina edge Venezuela 1-0 in a friendly at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, Messi virtually unveiled the statue from the Hyatt Regency in Kolkata, with fans across the city celebrating the moment passionately.
The statue, installed by the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, depicts Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy, commemorating his crowning moment with Argentina in Qatar.
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