Lionel Messi India GOAT Tour Live Updates: Security forces take cover using broken chairs thrown on the pitch by angry fans at the Salt Lake Stadium pitch after the Argentine football legend left the Kolkata venue in 20 minutes today. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)Lionel Messi India GOAT Tour Live Updates: Livid fans of Lionel Messi rained chairs and bottles on the ground before invading the pitch and vandalising seats set up for VIPs at the Salt Lake Stadium after being left angered by the Argentinian superstar’s short visit to the stadium. Many of the fans had paid Rs 3,800 to Rs 11,800 to get a glimpse of the star. But many were furious that they could barely spot him through the thicket of VIPs and hangers on surrounding Messi during his short visit to the ground. Many fans also complained that the star did not even touch a ball during his visit to Salt Lake Stadium.
The incident has all the elements to become a political football. Already opposition leaders have trained their guns on the ruling TMC while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that they have constituted an enquiry committee. Additional Director General (ADG) Law and Order Jawed Shamim, meanwhile, told media that an FIR has been lodged and the chief organiser of the event has been detained.
Scroll down to read live updates from Sayak Dutta, The Indian Express’ reporter on the ground, and to see visuals from Partha Paul, The Indian Express’ photographer at the venue.
As Sayak reported from Kolkata: “People were furious. They were trying to break a gate.” Partha Paul captured fans setting a fire to the VIP sofas which was quickly doused.
Messi is in India for a three-day “Greatest of All Time” (GOAT) tour. From Saturday to Monday, the legendary forward was scheduled to visit Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi for a whirlwind schedule of exhibition matches, VIP meet-and-greets, and interactions with aspiring young athletes. Kolkata was the first stop of the tour.
SCROLL BELOW FOR THE LATEST UPDATES FROM LIONEL MESSI’S GOAT TOUR VISIT TO KOLKATA
On the incident at Salt Lake Stadium involving the Lionel Messi GOAT Tour, West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas said, "Government has ordered to investigate this matter. An investigation is going on, and I will not comment on anything."
After the chaos encountered at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, where fans had invaded the pitch and vandalised sofas for VIPs, the superstar flew to Hyderabad. But the event in Telangana will be a much better managed event, assured Shiva Sena Reddy, the Chairman of Sports Authority of Telangana.
Reddy assured fans, via an interview with news agency PTI, that Lionel Messi’s Hyderabad appearance will be conducted smoothly.
He told PTI: "Today there will be a small 20-minute friendly game between Messi and CM's XIs. It will be followed by Messi holding a football clinic for young players. I would like to assure that what happened in Kolkata earlier in the day will not happen here in Hyderabad, we have enough police force deployed to manage things and a small request to the fans that they should also be calm."
After the chaotic scenes in Kolkata, Messi's next trip is to Hyderabad. Here's what he will do there:
7:50 PM IST – Match kick-off
8:06 PM – Entry of the Hon’ble Chief Minister onto the pitch
8:07 PM – Lionel Messi enters the pitch
8:08 PM – Entry of Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez
8:11 PM – Messi and the Hon’ble Chief Minister dribble the ball
8:13 PM – Penalty shootout (three shots per team) to decide the GOAT Cup
8:15 PM – Group photo with both teams
8:33 PM – Special penalty shootout featuring Messi (organiser as goalkeeper)
8:38 PM – Parade walk around the stadium, with Messi waving to fans
8:48 PM – Guests introduced on stage
8:51 PM – Messi greets organisers and team owners; photo session
8:53 PM – GOAT Cup presentation by Lionel Messi
8:54 PM – Felicitation of Lionel Messi by the Hon’ble Chief Minister
8:55 PM – Felicitation of Luis Suárez
8:56 PM – Felicitation of Rodrigo De Paul
8:57 PM – Event sign-off
8:58 PM – Final remarks by the Hon’ble Chief Minister
8:59 PM – Remarks by Rahul Gandhi
9:00 PM – Exit of all dignitaries from the stadium
9:05 PM – Dispersal announcements
9:10 PM – Final closure of the event
A look at when Lionel Messi met Shah Rukh Khan before the chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata
Here are visuals of what players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez did during their brief 20-minute stay in the middle of the pitch at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. When Messi left, angry fans threw projectiles on the pitch and then invaded the pitch. But before that, Messi took a walk on the grass while surrounded by a massive crowd of security and VIP guests.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | Kolkata: Argentine footballer Lionel Messi arrives at Salt Lake Stadium as the star footballer kicks off his G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025.#lionelmessi #goatindiatour #kolkata
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 13, 2025
(Source - Third party)
(Full VIDEO available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/zrMOF1HsVN
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has reacted to the chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium at the Messi event.
"The All India Football Federation is deeply concerned by the events that transpired at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, where thousands of fans gathered to witness world football stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo de Paul. This was a private event organised by a PR agency. The AIFF was not involved in the organisation, planning, or execution of this event in any capacity. Furthermore, the details of the event were neither communicated to the AIFF, nor was any clearance sought from the Federation. We urge all attendees to extend their full cooperation with the relevant authorities and to maintain order. The safety and security of all individuals involved must remain the paramount priority," AIFF wrote in a post on its social media handles.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | Kolkata: Angry fans vandalise Salt Lake Stadium, hurl chairs at security personnel alleging poor management as Argentine footballer Lionel Messi leaves the venue during his G.O.A.T. India Tour.#lionelmessi #goatindiatour #kolkata
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 13, 2025
(Full VIDEO available on PTI Videos –… pic.twitter.com/u4rwPYRreL
The Salt Lake Stadium saw ugly scenes as fans hurled chairs and other objects like bottles at the pitch. Policemen and other security forces were spotted trying to control the situation while also taking cover from the projectiles thrown into the ground by angry fans after Lionel Messi left the stadium in just 20 minutes.
Messi's next stop on his India GOAT tour was scheduled to be Hyderabad. He will then also visit Mumbai and New Delhi during his short stay in India.
After the ugly scenes at the Lionel Messi event, West Bengal DGP Rajiv Kumar said that the situation in Kolkata was now "normal". He says that they have asked the organiser to give in writing that they will refund all the fans for the tickets that were sold. He also mentioned that the organizer Satadru Dutta had been arrested from the airport.
“The Chief Minister has taken cognisance of the incident. It was sheer mismanagement by the organising committee. The organisers are expected to refund the fans. Meanwhile, I request fans to exercise restraint. We have already detained the organiser,” he told the media in Kolkata.
The chief organiser of the Kolkata leg of his GOAT Tour of Lionel Messi has been arrested, Additional Director General (ADG) Law and Order Jawed Shamim says.
"There is normalcy now. The second part is the investigation; the FIR has been lodged, and the chief organiser has been arrested... I'm telling you, they (organisers) are promising that they will return (ticket fee to fans). We will see how it can be done," he is quoted as saying by press agency PTI
Partha Paul, The Indian Express' photographer in Kolkata, has been tracking the Messi on the GOAT tour in Kolkata since morning. He sends these photographs from Salt Lake Stadium.
(ABOVE) Security personnel use broken chairs to take cover from angry fans at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata after Lionel Messi quickly exited the venue. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
(ABOVE) Security personnel chase away angry fans who had invaded the pitch of the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata after Messi's departure. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
(ABOVE) Fans vandalise sofas for VIP guests at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata angry at organisers of the event after Lionel Messi quickly exited the venue. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
West Bengal governor C. V. Ananda Bose has taken to X to slam the police and the authorities besides the organisers of the Kolkata leg of the GOAT tour for the ugly scenes witnessed at the Salt Lake Stadium. He called it a 'dark day for the sports loving people of Kolkata'.
"HG is shocked at the pell-mell due to utter lack of management and planning in ensuring smooth conduct of proceedings at the Salt Lake Stadium surrounding’s Messi’s visit. While the organisers of the event are to be blamed squarely for the situation that unfolded, it is also the police that has failed the Government, the people and the Chief Minister who is also the Home Minister. Due to their inaction this day can be said to be a dark day for the sports loving people of Kolkata.
Bose has issued the following directives to the State Government:
Arrest the organisers of the event.
Refund money to those who purchased the tickets.
Levy charges on the organisers for damage to the stadium and other public places
Judicial enquiry into the entire matter
Suspend police officers who did not take precautions
Henceforth a Standard Operating Procedure should be in place to ensure smooth conduct and proceedings for such large congregations.
RAF should be ready
Insurance scheme for the spectators for which the premium is to be paid by the sponsors and organisers.
Accusations are flying thick and fast in Kolkata after the chaos and unruly scenes at the Salt Lake Stadium after Messi's quick departure.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar tells news agency PTI, "Such a big international player is going to different parts of the country, but nothing happened anywhere. The incident that happened in West Bengal today shows what the Trinamool has made West Bengal into. The entire program was hijacked by TMC, from TMC's Sujit Bose to Arup Biswas; all the ministers were involved in this. There has been a complete looting of money; tickets worth Rs 5-8 thousand have been sold. Black marketing of tickets happened, there has been corruption in this too..."
The Indian Express' photographer sends this clip of a very small fire at the Salt Lake Stadium after fans invaded the pitch angry at Messi's quick departure. Fans had also pelted the ground with chairs and bottles before descending on the pitch and vandalising the tents built near the pitch.
Partha Paul reports that the crowd tried to set the VIP sofas on fire at the Salt Lake Stadium but it was immediately doused
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsA small fire was reported at the Salt Lake Stadium when angry fans invaded the pitch after #messi left the stadium within 20 minutes.
— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) December 13, 2025
📽️by the Indian Express' Partha Paul
Follow our liveblog of #lionelmessi in India: https://t.co/phDuYPZLU6 pic.twitter.com/rkv49t7XHR
Reports from Kolkata note that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan didn't even turn up at the stadium. They reportedly turned back midway.
Banerjee, in her post on X apologising to fans and announcing the constitution of an enquiry committee, confirmed this. She mentioned that she was on her way to the stadium when the incident happened.
After Lionel Messi's quick exit from the Salt Lake Stadium, fans have lashed out in anger.
“Very disappointed. Had bought a ticket for Rs 4k but couldn’t see anything. If Messi could have at least walked around the stadium, we could have seen him from the stands. We can’t afford to go anywhere else to watch him,” Sabyasachi Sanki, a fan from Garia, said looking far more disappointed than angry. Around him, other infuriated fans stomped by uttering sentences like, “Waste of time and waste of money.”
After the ugly scenes at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee reacts to the incident and said she has constituted an enquiry committee.
"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. I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident," Banerjee wrote on X.
"I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future. Once again, I extend my heartfelt apologies to all sports lovers."
A young fan tells news agency Press Trust of India: “Everyone was excited today as Messi was coming. It’s my wedding day, but I left all the ceremonies to be here. Still, the management was so pathetic that I couldn’t even see him.”
Argentine footballer Lionel Messi’s hasty ecit from the Salt Lake Stadium drew the ire of fans, with attendees alleging they couldn’t catch a glimpse of the star at all as he was surrounded by VIPs and security personnel during his brief foray onto the pitch.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | Kolkata: “Everyone was excited today as Messi was coming. It’s my wedding day, but I left all the ceremonies to be here. Still, the management was so pathetic that I couldn’t even see him,” says a fan as Argentine footballer Lionel Messi’s event draws ire, with attendees… pic.twitter.com/zgfBAy0LVd
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 13, 2025
While ordinary fans were left angered by Messi's hasty exit from the Salt Lake Stadium, there were some who managed to get a private audience with the football legend elsewhere.
This included Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who also co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise. Here's what happened when Messi meet Shah Rukh
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | Kolkata: Football icon Lionel Messi to virtually unveil his 70-foot statue from Salt Lake stadium, with West Bengal Minister Sujit Bose and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan present at the event.#lionelmessi #kolkata #football
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 13, 2025
(Full VIDEO available on PTI Videos –… pic.twitter.com/dqISIwMgl4
The Kolkata leg of Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated GOAT Tour descended into chaos as fans, irate at the mismanagement around the Argentine icon’s appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium, started throwing bottles into the ground and even trying to break gates between stands, reports Sayak Dutta in his report from Kolkata.
The incident happened after Messi left the field after only 20 minutes after arriving at the stadium at 11.30 AM via car.
There is plenty of anger in the air in Kolkata as fans have thrown bottles and chairs on the ground at Salt Lake Stadium before finally invading the pitch. Most of these fans paid thousands of rupees to organisers to see Lionel Messi himself. But he came and left within 20 minutes. Even when he was on the ground, he was surrounded by a group of over hundred VIPs.
Scroll to see photographs by The Indian Express' Partha Paul
Another fan in Kolkata tells ANI after being angered by Messi's quick exit from the Saltt Lake Stadium: "It was an absolutely terrible event. He came for just 10 minutes. All the leaders and ministers surrounded him. We couldn't see anything. He didn't take a single kick or a single penalty. They said they would bring Shah Rukh Khan too. They didn't bring anyone. He came for 10 minutes and left. So much money, emotions, and time wasted. We couldn't see anything..."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#watch | Kolkata, West Bengal: A fan of star footballer Lionel Messi says, "Absolutely terrible event. He came for just 10 minutes. All the leaders and ministers surrounded him. We couldn't see anything. He didn't take a single kick or a single penalty. They said they would bring… https://t.co/Ce4kNu8dBH pic.twitter.com/Rpko4UwlLW
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2025
After his short blink-and-you'll-miss-it stay at the Salt Lake Stadium, fans have been left livid after paying thousands of rupees for this occasion.
Fans have called this a scam.
"There were 500 people surrounding Messi at the ground. Why did they call us then in the stands? I had bought 10 tickets for this occasion. To do what? Are fans in Bengal fools?" one angry fan can be heard telling news agency ANI.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#watch | Kolkata: A fan of star footballer Lionel Messi says, "Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi...Why did they call us then... We have got a ticket for 12 thousand, but we were not even able to see his face..." https://t.co/Ce4kNu8dBH pic.twitter.com/WUAOG4xc1V
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#watch | Kolkata, West Bengal: Angry fans threw bottles and chairs from the stands at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2025
Star footballer Lionel Messi has left the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/mcxi6YROyr
Angry fans have pelted the Salt Lake stadium with all kinds of debris: from chairs to bottles after being left angered by Messi's hasty exit.
As per Sayak Dutta, The Indian Express' reporter on the ground in Kolkata, there are unruly scenes at the ground as fans have been left irate at the fact that Messi has left early. Remember, some of the fans have paid anywhere between Rs 3,800 to Rs 11,800 to get a glimpse of the star.
Uh oh! The Kolkata crowd is resorting to loud jeers and boos as Messi makes his way out from the Salt Lake Stadium after a fleeting appearance. Visible displeasure engulfs the stands as people throw bottles out to the turf.
"People are furious. They are trying to break a gate," pings Sayak.
Sayak Dutta: Messi moves inside the tents and the crowd begins to boo because he did not come towards their stands.
And right on cue, Messi is being taken towards those stands
The Argentine superstar will take part in a meet and greet event where people will have a chance to meet him up close, shake his hand and have a special group photo taken with him. For this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, fans will have to fork out Rs 10 lakhs. READ MORE
Rosario. Miami. Barca. Kolkata. The Messi fever is just the same anywhere in the world. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
A jam-packed Salt Lake roars in jubilation at the sight of the magic man from Rosario. The crowd erupts at the mere sight of Messi waving his arms to the crowd.
Lionel Messi kicks off his GOAT India Tour the Mecca Of Indian football, Kolkata. A surprise awaits him in the football-crazy city, a 70-feet bronze version of himself that he might not recognise. The Indian Express visited the park which houses world’s tallest Messi statue.
The city's outpouring of love for Messi on his second visit to the city was nearly complete with the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner unveiling his 70-foot statue.
VIDEO | Kolkata: Football icon Lionel Messi to virtually unveil his 70-foot statue from Salt Lake stadium, with West Bengal Minister Sujit Bose and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan present at the event.#lionelmessi #kolkata #football
Sayak Dutta, our man on the ground pings: Messi has arrived at the Salt Lake Stadium.
It has been an eventful morning so far, with a Mohun Bagan Messi All Stars vs Diamond Harbour Messi All Stars friendly game taking place already.
Playoffs, fan meet-and-greets, fashion shows, and, above all, a heady football fever. India is set to welcome football legend Lionel Messi on a three-day Greatest of All Times (GOAT) tour across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
The private tour — from Saturday to Monday — will see the icon follow a packed schedule, meeting VIPs and fans in stadiums, playing exhibition matches and interacting with young footballers. Sources said Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez and Argentinian midfielder Rodrigo De Paul will accompany him on the tour. READ MORE
