Messi causes chaos in India as thousands of foreign objects are thrown onto the field

13/12/2025 17:39:00 SportScoop

Lionel Messi's India tour started in chaos in Kolkata, with the fleeting presence of the Argentine icon provoking angry supporters to rip chairs and throw them onto the field.

According to ANI news agency, Messi’s India tour kicked off in disorder on the afternoon of December 13, when numerous fans angrily tore seats from the stands and threw them onto the pitch following the brief appearance of the Argentine superstar at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata.

Messi gây hỗn loạn tại Ấn Độ, hàng ngàn vật thể lạ ném xuống sân 759704 — Messi and his teammates officially arrived in India for the "GOAT" tour (Photo: ANI).

Messi is in India as part of the “GOAT” tour, which includes attending concerts, youth football training sessions, a Padel tournament, and launching charitable initiatives in several cities such as Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

According to Indian media, the 2022 World Cup champion only walked around the stadium, waved to fans but was constantly surrounded by a large group and left the venue roughly 20 minutes after arriving.

A video posted by ANI shows many fans throwing ripped seats and thousands of other items onto the pitch and the running track. Some even climbed over the fence surrounding the stadium to throw objects inside.

Messi gây hỗn loạn tại Ấn Độ, hàng ngàn vật thể lạ ném xuống sân 759706 — Seats and other foreign objects thrown onto the field by Indian fans (Photo: ANI).

“There were only security and actors surrounding Messi… So why did they call us here? We paid 12,000 rupees (equivalent to 132.51 USD) for tickets but didn’t even get to see his face,” a fan present at the stadium expressed his frustration to ANI.

The organizers of Messi’s India tour have not yet responded to requests for comments.

Messi gây hỗn loạn tại Ấn Độ, hàng ngàn vật thể lạ ném xuống sân 759709 — Messi was strictly guarded by bodyguards (Photo: ANI).

Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal state. Along with Kerala and Goa, these are regions with large football fan communities in India, a country traditionally passionate about cricket.

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona visited Kolkata twice and in 2017 inaugurated his own statue raising the World Cup trophy, witnessed by thousands of fans.

Messi played a friendly match at Salt Lake Stadium in 2011 when Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0. Earlier on December 12, he also “virtually unveiled” a 21-meter tall statue of himself in this city.