Hundreds of football fans who had gathered in Kolkata on Saturday were left disappointed after Argentine superstar Lionel Messi left the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) Stadium in Salt Lake after a brief appearance, turning what was meant to be a memorable celebration of football into chaos.
Expecting an unforgettable experience, the spectators had reportedly paid a hefty ticket price to get a glimpse of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner. Messi’s Kolkata leg of the ‘G.O.A.T. Tour of India 2025’, his first visit to the venue since 2011, ended in disorder early Saturday morning as large sections of the crowd failed to catch a glimpse of the football icon despite travelling long distances, sparking outrage over ticket prices and poor management.
Could you spot where the Messi is??
This was the view for fans who paid 10K, Wow pic.twitter.com/0wC1fuPPFH
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) December 13, 2025
The event, originally scheduled to last nearly two hours and include Messi’s interaction with actor Shah Rukh Khan, former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, wrapped up in less than 30 minutes. Messi remained heavily ring-fenced by security and surrounded by officials and VIPs, preventing fans from seeing him clearly or watching him display his footballing skills. Several videos from the stadium have surfaced on social media, showing hundreds of fans invading the pitch, vandalising the stands and goal nets at the stadium.
🤦What a shame! Angry Messi fans are vandalising the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata
Indian supporters are furious that the footballer showed up for just 10 minutes — and they couldn’t even get a proper look at him. https://t.co/dhmtCAqazz pic.twitter.com/Bfx5QjzNln
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) December 13, 2025
Furious spectators were also seen hurling thousands of water bottles onto the pitch and uprooting bucket seats from the stands, using them as projectiles against police and security personnel. Several instances of vandalism were reported as order broke down in the galleries. In many videos, spectators can be seen running and filming their acts after the vandalisation.
#Watch: Scenes from Saltlake Stadium today. #Messi #Messi???? #MessiInKolkata pic.twitter.com/rdVIwZDJok
— Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) December 13, 2025
Fans alleged that water bottles were sold inside the stadium at inflated prices, even as police had prohibited spectators from carrying such items inside. Police stated that they are also investigating how the organisers permitted the sale of bottled water and other beverages inside the stadium, despite these items being banned during such events, PTI reported.
Police officials later acknowledged that tensions had been building due to Messi’s limited presence on the field, which worsened after VIPs, including State Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and others, obstructed the crowd’s view during the short time Messi spent on the ground.
Meanwhile, the event organiser has been arrested over mismanagement at the venue. CM Mamata Banerjee apologised to fans and supporters, who had paid to watch the event with tickets ranging from Rs 4,800 to a whopping Rs 25,000. She said the state government has formed a committee to look into the chaos and mismanagement at the venue, which is one of India’s largest football arenas.
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-176583406493150960.webp)
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-176583402894322258.webp)
