Wherever Lionel Messi appears, chaos follows, and this was true on Saturday in Kolkata. Messi and his Inter Miami teammates recently concluded an exceptional season in Major League Soccer, where he earned his second consecutive league MVP and the MLS Cup. Now, he is participating in the ‘GOAT Tour’ in India, but the first stop was marred by unrest among fans.
The tour kicked off with a ceremony revealing a 70-foot tall statue of the football icon. However, the event devolved quickly when fans, frustrated by being kept at a distance from Messi, resorted to throwing debris and ripping up seats as Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Luis Suarez had to abandon their planned circuit of the stadium.
Tickets costing around $133 were sold for a chance to see Messi, but obstructed views caused by attending political figures fueled the crowd’s fury, compelling security to whisk Messi away after only 20 minutes. This incident marks the opening of a tour that will take Messi to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.
An online apology was issued to Messi by Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, in the aftermath of the incident.
“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi,” Banerjee posted on X.
“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi and all sports lovers for the unfortunate incident. I am forming an inquiry committee chaired by Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, along with the Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary, to investigate the incident, assign responsibility, and propose preventive measures for such occurrences in the future.”
Given the costs fans incurs and their travel efforts to see Messi, such unrest is not new, having occurred previously in Hong Kong during the previous winter.
As Messi approaches his 39th birthday, opportunities to witness him play are growing sparse. He will continue his tour across India despite this setback.
