Man shares video showing crowd chaos at Kolkata stadium after limited glimpse of Lionel Messi: ‘Messi we saw’
A man shared a viral video showing fan anger at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium after they failed to get a proper glimpse of Lionel Messi.
A section of the crowd at Yubha Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata’s Salt Lake lost their cool on Saturday after failing to get a proper glimpse of Lionel Messi during the first leg of the Argentine football legend’s GOAT India Tour. The situation escalated as bottles and chairs were hurled, stadium property was damaged and police were forced to intervene to restore order.
(Also read: Lionel Messi’s early departure sparks chaos; fans run riot, vandalise Salt Lake Stadium, hurl bottles, burn chairs)
Instagram video captures mood shift
Soon after the incident, an Instagram user named Mayank Agarwal shared a video showing a stark contrast between expectation and reality. In the opening frames, Agarwal and his family are seen posing cheerfully with a Messi poster. The video then cuts to scenes from inside the stadium, where they are holding tickets ahead of the event.
The mood shifts dramatically in the final frames, which show fans throwing bottles and vandalising parts of the stadium. The text overlaid on the clip read as: “Messi we wanted to see vs Messi we saw”. The video quickly gained traction online, reflecting the frustration felt by many in attendance.
Check out the video here:
Tight schedule, limited access
Messi landed in Kolkata at 2:26 am and began his day by virtually unveiling a 70 feet tall statue in the city. He entered the Salt Lake Stadium around 11:30 am but was immediately surrounded by political leaders, former footballers, coaches and members of the organising committee.
This left little opportunity for fans seated in the packed stands to catch a clear glimpse of the Argentine star. According to eyewitnesses, Messi remained on the ground for a brief period before leaving under tight security, prompting loud boos across the stadium.
Crowd anger spills over
As Messi exited the venue, sections of the crowd lost patience and began hurling bottles and posters. The anger was fuelled by the high ticket prices, which ranged between ₹4,500 and ₹10,000. Many fans had hoped to see Messi perform some dribbling skills, interact with the crowd or at least address them briefly.
Minutes after his departure, parts of the crowd moved towards the centre of the stadium, where temporary structures and tents were vandalised. Fibreglass seats were damaged, forcing police to step in.
With the situation spiralling, the Rapid Action Force was deployed to bring the crowd under control. Authorities eventually managed to disperse the fans and prevent further damage.
