Anger over Lionel Messi ‘GOAT’ tour of India as fans throw chairs and bottles at stadium event

The first stop of Lionel Messi’s tour of India descended into chaos as fans smashed stadium seats and threw objects after his appearance at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium was cut short.

Thousands of fans had paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100; $133) to see the football star, but were disappointed when he walked out onto the pitch and was overshadowed by a large group of officials and celebrities.

When the Argentina and Inter Miami forward was removed early by security after about 20 minutes, elements of the crowd became hostile.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “deeply disturbed and shocked” by the developments.

Messi is in India for his ‘GOAT tour’, a series of promotional events in Calcutta, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

His tour began with the unveiling of a 21-metre-high statue of him in Calcutta, which had been assembled over the course of 27 days by a team of 45 people.

It was unveiled virtually for security reasons, so thousands of fans traveled to the city stadium for the chance to see the footballer.

They sang, bought t-shirts and wore headbands that said “I love Messi.”

Messi initially walked around the stadium waving to fans, but after his appearance ended abruptly on Saturday, frustrated fans stormed the field and tore down banners and tents, while others threw plastic chairs and water bottles.

The 2022 world champion, considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, was expected to play a short exhibition match at the stadium, the AFP news agency reports.

“Only the leaders and actors surrounded Messi… Why did they call us then… We have a ticket for 12,000 rupees, but we couldn’t even see his face,” a fan at the stadium told Indian news agency ANI.

One angry fan told the Press Trust of India news agency that people had paid the equivalent of a month’s salary to watch the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“I paid 5,000 rupees for the ticket and I came with my son to see Messi, not the politicians.

“The police and military personnel were taking selfies and the management is to blame.”

Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and has a large football fan base in an otherwise cricket-crazy country.

In the city, it is common to see hundreds of thousands of fans gather in stadiums to watch a local club derby.

Announcing an investigation, Banerjee apologized to Messi and “sports lovers” for the incident at the stadium.

“He [enquiry] “The committee will conduct a detailed investigation into the incident, determine responsibilities and recommend measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future,” he said in X.

In the early hours of Saturday, thousands of people lined the roads and gathered in front of the hotel where Messi was staying to try to see him.

Hitesh, a 24-year-old corporate lawyer, flew nearly 1,900 kilometers from the southern Indian city of Bengaluru.

“For me it’s a personal thing. As you can see, I’m quite short and I love playing football with my friends,” Hitesh told the BBC, standing in front of the statue.

“Messi is the player with whom I most identify, no one can match his talent. He gives me hope that with talent you can do anything.”

It is just a small part of India’s tribute to the former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain striker.

Fans can visit the ‘Hello Messi’ fan zone, where there is a life-size replica of Messi sitting on a throne, a lounge adorned with some of his trophies and a recreation of his Miami home with mannequins of the player and his family sitting on a balcony.