From historic celebration to total chaos in Kolkata

What promised to be a historic celebration ended up becoming one of the most embarrassing episodes of Lionel Messi’s off-field career. The opening of the so-called “GOAT India Tour” at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata quickly shifted from euphoria to complete disorder, leaving behind images of unrest, pitch invasions and seats being thrown that went viral around the world.

Expectations were enormous. Thousands of fans traveled from different parts of the country just to see, even for a few minutes, the Argentina World Cup winner. However, the real experience was far from what had been promised. Messi was on the pitch for barely 20 minutes, constantly surrounded by an excessive security operation that prevented any close interaction with the crowd. For many attendees, seeing him clearly was simply impossible.

Broken promises and growing fan frustration

The organizers had sold the event as a once-in-a-lifetime experience: Messi’s presence, a lap of honor, a brief football exhibition and the unveiling of a more than 21-meter-tall statue in his honor. None of it was enough to ease the sense of deception felt by thousands of fans.

When the early departure of the footballer was announced, frustration boiled over. Fans who had paid up to 12,000 rupees (more than 100 dollars) openly denounced the event as a scam. Anger translated into flying bottles, ripped-out seats and a breach of the security perimeter, forcing authorities to evacuate the player immediately.

Complaints multiplied: many claimed that even the giant screens failed to show clear images of Messi, while they watched members of the security detail taking photos with the Argentine star.

Overwhelmed security and an organization under scrutiny

Far from protecting the spectacle, the security operation ended up being part of the problem. Messi entered the field alongside Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, yet always kept at an unbreakable distance from the crowd. The excessive human barricades and lack of communication with fans only heightened the tension.

The situation escalated to the point where local authorities arrested the head of the event’s organization, while police announced investigations into potential responsibilities, including accusations of fraud and mismanagement. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, was forced to publicly apologize to both Messi and the fans and ordered the creation of a committee to investigate what happened.

A blow to the “GOAT Tour” image and doubts over the rest of the trip

The Kolkata incident left a stain that will be hard to erase at the start of the GOAT India Tour, a trip that was meant to strengthen Messi’s global image in one of the world’s largest markets. Instead of iconic photos and unforgettable memories, the outcome was chaos, public anger and a widespread sense of broken promises.

Although the tour continues in Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, the damage has already been done. The episode raises serious doubts about the tour’s planning and the organizers’ ability to manage events of this scale. For many Indian fans, the dream of seeing Lionel Messi turned into a bitter disappointment, defined more by disorder than by the magic of football.