Messi Mania Turns to Mayhem: Kolkata Fans Riot Over Obscured Star
Violence erupted at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium as Lionel Messi‘s ‘GOAT tour’ took a hostile turn. Thousands of adoring supporters, many of whom paid tickets costing the equivalent of a month’s salary, were left furious and disappointed after the football legend’s brief appearance was obscured by a large entourage and then abruptly ended.
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The Moment It Fell Apart
Fans were expecting to see the 2022 World Cup winner—one of football’s greatest, or nothing—play a short exhibition game. The thing is, what they got instead was a walk around the pitch for about 20 minutes, with the star mostly hidden by officials, politicians, and celebrities.
The Ticket Price Trap: Some fans reportedly shelled out up to 12,000 rupees ($133) for a glimpse. As one angry fan told an Indian news agency, “I paid Rs 5,000 for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi not politicians. Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi…”
The Breaking Point: When the Argentina and Inter Miami forward was quickly whisked away by security, the crowd turned hostile. Frustrated fans stormed the pitch, ripped up seats, and hurled plastic chairs and water bottles. They vandalized banners and tents.
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CM Orders Enquiry
The sheer scale of the meltdown forced an immediate response from the top.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was “deeply disturbed and shocked” by the events.
She immediately ordered a detailed enquiry committee to look into the incident, fix responsibility for the chaos, and recommend measures to stop it from ever happening again.
An organizer was reportedly detained.
Here’s the kicker: The Chief Minister publicly apologized not just to the “sports lovers,” but also directly to Lionel Messi himself for the fiasco.
This incident casts a massive shadow over the rest of the ‘GOAT tour,’ which is set to travel to Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. It’s a sad and messy scene in a city that is fiercely passionate about football in a cricket-crazed country…..
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Disclaimer: This information is based on reports from news agencies and official statements regarding the violence at Salt Lake Stadium during Lionel Messi’s appearance on December 13, 2025.
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