Football legend Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday, touching down at around 2:30 AM local time along with Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. The excitement surrounding his arrival was evident, as hundreds of fans gathered on the streets well past midnight to catch a glimpse of the global icon.
Later in the morning, at around 10:00 AM, Messi remotely unveiled a 70-foot-tall statue installed at Lake Town, Kolkata, from his hotel. Following the unveiling, he met actor Shah Rukh Khan and Mohun Bagan Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka at the Hyatt Regency, where photographs were clicked during a brief interaction.
Messi, accompanied by Suárez and De Paul, then proceeded to the iconic Salt Lake Stadium, where tens of thousands of fans had assembled. The visit was expected to include a lap of honour around the stadium and meetings with prominent personalities, including Shah Rukh Khan, former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
However, the situation deteriorated rapidly. Due to the heavy presence of dignitaries and officials around Messi, fans in the stands were barely able to see him. This led to growing frustration among sections of the crowd. Disappointed fans began booing officials, and some resorted to throwing chairs and bottles, causing damage inside the stadium.
Amid the escalating unrest, Messi’s lap around the stadium was cut short, and he was escorted out by security. His total time at the venue was limited to approximately 20 minutes. As a result, no meetings with Shah Rukh Khan, Sourav Ganguly, or Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took place at the stadium.
Fans who had paid significant amounts to attend the event were left visibly upset by the brief and chaotic experience.
In response to the incident, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a public apology to Lionel Messi and his fans. Expressing shock over the mismanagement, she announced the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the disorder and assured corrective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
