Messi in Kolkata: Upset fans vandalise Salt Lake stadium; organiser detained; CM orders enquiry Today Sports News

Violence erupted at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday (December 13, 2025) after football legend Lionel Messi made a brief public appearance there.

Thousands of spectators, not only from Kolkata but from different parts of the country, had arrived at the stadium to catch a glimpse of their favourite football star. The convoy of Lionel Messi’s entered the stadium at exactly 11.30 a.m. He was accompanied by footballers Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. The footballers looked happy to witness the frenzy of football fans gathered at the stadium.

But as soon as Lionel Messi entered the stadium, a crowd of about 70 to 80 people which included the organisers, State’s Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and representatives of football clubs surrounded him. The crowd was trying to take selfies and autographs from the football star, as a result, the spectators were unable to see Messi and other two footballers from the galleries. At one point, the angry football fans started chanting ‘We want Messi’. Lionel Messi was taken out of the stadium about 11.52 a.m. even before Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan arrived at the stadium.

Football fans were angry that despite buying tickets at steep prices they were not even able to catch a glimpse of their favourite star. Within minutes angry football fans started breaking chairs in the gallery and throwing them on the field. Bottles started falling on the field. People broke the fencing gate on the edge of the field and entered the field in large numbers. Hundreds of people took control of the stadium and overturned temporary structures in the field. The spectators also set temporary structures on fire inside the stadium.

The police personnel tried to push back the crowd but they were outnumbered. Chaos ensued at the football stadium for several minutes. Even outside the stadium thousands of football fans gathered and shouted against the administration and the organisers. There was a large deployment of police which resorted to baton charge to control the crowd.

Lionel Messi on his G.O.A.T. India tour 2025, and he arrived in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday (December 13, 2025). There were elaborate arrangements to welcome Messi and a 70ft long statue of the Argentinian football legend has been erected on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass near the Sreebhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town. This was Lionel Messi’s second visit to Kolkata that did not go as planned. The football star had visited the city 14 years ago.

Mamata orders probe

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologised over the incident and ordered an enquiry. “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,” she said in a post on X.

“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said.

She said that an enquiry committee has been constituted 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,” she added.

Organiser already detained: Police

West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar said that the organiser has been detained. “We have already detained the main organiser and we are trying to ensure that fans are compensated,” Mr. Kumar said.

“No reports of injuries to fans… Traffic has been normalised. The incident has been localised to Salt Lake Stadium,” said Jawed Shamim, ADG Law and Order.

Messi unveils 70-foot statue virtually

Star footballer Lionel Messi on Saturday (December 13, 2025) virtually unveiled his 70-foot statue installed at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata. The Argentine football legend is in the city as part of his GOAT Tour India 2025. The unveiling drew a huge crowd of fans who gathered in Lake Town to witness the moment.

The Sree Bhumi Sporting Club completed the 70-foot iron statue in admiration for Lionel Messi at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata. The statue depicts Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy and will be virtually unveiled by the legend himself on Saturday (December 13, 2025).

West Bengal Minister and Sree Bhumi Sporting Club President Sujit Bose said on Saturday that Lionel Messi and his team are happy with the statue installed in Lake Town.

Speaking to ANI, Sujit Bose said Messi and his team had given their consent to the statue and were happy with it.

“We have talked to his manager, and today we will talk to Messi… He gave his consent for the statue and they are also happy…,” Sujit Bose told ANI.

The construction of the statue was completed in just 40 days. Bose earlier told ANI, “We built this statue in 40 days. This is a very big statue, 70 feet in height. There is no other statue of Messi this big in the world. Messi is coming to Kolkata, and there are a lot of fans of Messi.”

The Argentine football legend arrived in the City of Joy early on Saturday morning to an overwhelming reception from fans. Enthusiastic supporters gathered in large numbers across key locations in Kolkata, eager to catch a glimpse of the global football icon, reflecting the immense popularity Messi enjoys in the country, particularly in West Bengal.

Notably, this marks Lionel Messi’s first visit to India since 2011. During his previous visit, the legendary footballer played a friendly match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, where Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0. His return after 14 years has generated immense excitement among football fans, who have been preparing for a grand celebration to welcome the global icon.

(With agency inputs)

Published – December 13, 2025 12:19 pm IST