Lionel Messi finally got to play in front of Indian fans after his India tour took a chaotic turn in Kolkata. The fans at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium were left fuming after the Argentina legend’s brief 20-minute appearance, ripping up seats and hurling objects onto the pitch. Messi, however, got his moment in India during his second stop in Hyderabad.
When Messi landed in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday, thousands of fans flocked to the airport to welcome the football superstar. The Inter Miami captain was joined by his teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, as the trio headed to their hotel amid massive excitement.
The same enthusiasm was visible at Salt Lake Stadium, where nearly 85,000 fans arrived early to catch a glimpse of their favorite star. However, Messi’s visit was cut short, and the players were rushed out of the venue due to reported security concerns. During his brief 20-minute appearance, fans could hardly see Messi’s face, leaving them frustrated. Seats were torn up and thrown onto the pitch, while footage from Indian news agency ANI showed fans climbing over fences to hurl objects onto the field. Satadru Dutta, the prime organizer of the event, was detained for mismanagement following the chaos, and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has ordered a high-level inquiry.
Messi, in India as part of his ‘GOAT Tour 2025’, a four-part event, was scheduled to visit Hyderabad next before stopping in Mumbai and Delhi. In Hyderabad, Messi was greeted by a thunderous crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. At this second venue, Messi finally touched a football, exchanging a few passes with Suarez and De Paul. They were also joined by several youth footballers from Telangana and the Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy.
Messi thanks Hyderabad fans
At the conclusion of the event in Hyderabad, Messi took the microphone to address the buzzing crowd: “Thank you very much for all your affection. It’s an honour for us to be able to spend these days here in India with you, so I’m truly grateful. Thank you so much.”
De Paul and Suarez also expressed their delight at visiting India. Messi added, “I’ve enjoyed a lot. This has been a very special night. Thank you so much for your love and affection.” Suarez said, “Good evening, everyone. Thank you for the love. A big hug!”
The World Cup-winning Argentina legend will next travel to Mumbai on Sunday morning, where he is scheduled to meet several celebrities, including members of the Mumbai film industry and other dignitaries. On Monday, he will fly to Delhi before concluding his tour in India.
