Last Updated:
Chaos erupted at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium as Lionel Messi’s brief appearance left fans frustrated, leading to protests and vandalism.
Messi’s Kolkata Visit Ends in Chaos, Fans Slam Organisers and TMC
Scenes of chaos unfolded at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium as thousands of fans gathered to see football superstar Lionel Messi. Put off by poor event management, some fans reportedly threw bottles and chairs from the stands in frustration. The crowd had high expectations, but many were left disappointed when Messi’s appearance lasted only a few minutes.
BJP slams TMC
The mishandling of the event has drawn criticism from political quarters. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “Total embarrassment on an international stage. A global legend like Messi will see a massive public turnout and yet zero planning and very little security. CM Mamata Banerjee can’t even organise or manage an event. TMC leaders surrounded him, and fans were denied access. What if something had happened to fans or the guest?”
He compared the mismanagement to tragic crowd incidents elsewhere, highlighting the risk posed by inadequate planning at large events.
Total embarrassment on an international stage. A global legend like Messi will see a massive public turnout and yet zero planning & very little security ! CM Mamata Banerjee can’t even organise or manage an event! TMC leaders surrounded him and fans were denied ! Messi had to… pic.twitter.com/HRi9SQhjoR— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) December 13, 2025
BJP spokesperson Pradip Bhandari criticised the TMC, saying that Salt Lake Stadium descended into chaos due to complete mismanagement. Frustrated fans were forced to throw bottles and chairs. “A global legend, a massive public turnout, and yet zero planning. A total embarrassment on an international stage. Mamata can’t even organise or manage an event,” adds Pradip Bhandari.
Scenes of chaos and complete mismanagement at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.Angry fans were forced to throw bottles and chairs from the stands after being pushed to the brink by sheer mismanagement.Football icon Lionel Messi left the stadium within just 15 minutes.Thousands… pic.twitter.com/WdpMVPA2s9— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) December 13, 2025
Messi leaves amid protests
Lionel Messi left the stadium shortly after arriving. Fans had gathered with excitement and hope, but security and crowd control measures appeared inadequate. The disorganisation and lack of proper management left many frustrated, with some even setting fire to parts of the stadium canopy.
Fans disappointed
For many fans, the excitement of seeing Messi turned into anger and disillusionment. Thousands had gathered, only to see a few minutes of the football icon’s visit. “We couldn’t see anything. He didn’t take a single kick. This was a total waste of time, money, and emotions,” one attendee said.
One fan said, “It is very disappointing that after paying such a hefty amount, we could not even get a glimpse of him. He just waved a couple of times, and that’s it.” Another added, “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. So much money, emotions, and time wasted.”
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 13, 2025, 13:01 IST
Read More
