Fans throw chairs and bottles at stadium event, anger over Lionel Messi ‘GOAT’ India tour

Angry fans tore up seats and threw objects onto the pitch after Messi appeared at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.

Thousands of admirers paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100; $133) to catch a glimpse of the football star but were disappointed when he emerged walking around the pitch and was obscured by a swarm of officials and celebrities.

Some 20 minutes later, when the Argentina and Inter Miami forward was led away early by security, some in the crowd became hostile.

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

Messi is in India on his ‘GOAT Tour’, a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

His tour began with the unveiling of a 70-foot-tall statue of himself in Kolkata, which was assembled by a crew of 45 over the course of 27 days.

It was unveiled virtually for security reasons, meaning thousands of fans instead traveled to the city’s stadiums for a chance to catch a glimpse of the footballer.

They chanted slogans, bought jerseys and wore “I love Messi” headbands.

Messi initially walked around the stadium waving to fans, but after his appearance came to an abrupt end on Saturday, frustrated fans stormed the pitch, destroying banners and tents, while others threw plastic chairs and water bottles.

The 2022 World Cup winner, considered one of the greatest players in football history, had been expected to play a brief exhibition match at the stadium, according to AFP.

“Only leaders and actors are surrounding Messi… why are they calling us… We bought a ticket for 12,000 rupees but we can’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 were paying the equivalent of a month’s salary to see the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“I paid 5,000 rupees for a ticket to watch Messi with my son, not a politician.

“Police and soldiers are taking selfies and management should be blamed.”

Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and has a large number of football fans in this cricket-loving country.

It is common in the city for hundreds of thousands of fans to gather at stadiums to watch local clubs’ derbies.

Banerjee announced an investigation and apologized to Messi and “sports fans” for the incident at the stadium.

She said on

In the early hours of Saturday morning, thousands of people lined the roads and gathered outside Messi’s hotel to try to catch a glimpse of him.

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

“For me it’s a personal thing. You can see I’m short and I like playing football with my friends,” Hitesh told the BBC as he stood in front of the statue.

“Messi is the player I resonate with the most. No one can match his talent. He gives me hope that as long as you have talent, you can do anything.”

This is just a small part of the tributes India has paid to the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker.

Fans can visit the “Hola Messi” fan zone, which features a life-size replica of Messi sitting on a throne, a hall decorated with some of his trophies, and a recreation of his home in Miami, with mannequins of the player and his family on the balcony.