Lionel Messi tour of India LIVE: Messi arrives; thousands brave winter chill to welcome Argentine legend

In the aftermath of the events in Kolkata, Mumbai Police have put in place elaborate, World Cup-style security measures for Lionel Messi’s visit on Sunday.

Over 2,000 police personnel have been stationed in and around the Brabourne Stadium (CCI) and the Wankhede Stadium.

Additional arrangements include watchtowers, extensive barricading and public announcement systems to ensure strict crowd regulation and real-time monitoring.

After the chaos at Yuva Bharati Krirangan, popularly known as Salt Lake Stadium, during Lionel Messi’s event in Kolkata, the city’s image has taken a significant hit on the international stage, with the vandalism making headlines in leading newspapers and media outlets across the world.

From the US-based The New York Times to the UK’s The Guardian and BBC, the incident found wide mention. The chaos at the venue was also reported extensively by Spanish and French media.

The New York Times carried the headline, “Lionel Messi’s India tour organiser ‘detained’, says police after ‘deeply disturbing chaos’.” At the time the report was published, the organiser of Messi’s GOAT India Tour, Satadru Dutta, had only been detained by the police and not formally arrested. He was taken into custody later.

In a detailed report, The New York Times described the scenes at Yuva Bharati, noting that Messi was barely visible during the event. Although he was scheduled to remain at the venue for more than an hour, security personnel quickly escorted him off the field.

The report also quoted West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and included details from Governor C.V. Ananda Bose’s press conference. It mentioned Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s apology over the incident and the formation of an inquiry committee. The newspaper further noted Sports Minister Arup Biswas’s remark, “I will not say anything.”

The American daily also made a reference to cricket, stating that while Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, has a large football-following population, cricket remains India’s most popular sport.

The BBC headlined the incident as “Angry fans throw chair and bottles at Messi event in Kolkata.” Its report said officials and politicians surrounded Messi so closely that he appeared annoyed within a short time. After spending just 22 minutes on the field, he was escorted away for security reasons, triggering unrest among the crowd, who began throwing chairs and bottles.

The BBC added that Messi’s India visit was marred by chaos in Kolkata, with some fans having paid up to Rs 12,000 for tickets only to catch a fleeting glimpse of the football icon. It also cited Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s apology, noting that she was “deeply saddened and shocked” by the incident.

The Yuva Bharati episode also featured prominently in Spanish and French media. Spanish sports daily Marca ran the headline “Absolute Chaos,” reporting that the Inter Miami star entered the field but left after just 22 minutes, despite fans spending thousands of rupees to see him.

French daily L’Equipe described the incident as “Disturbing,” writing that Messi was on a promotional tour and that the overwhelming crowd around him led to extreme frustration among spectators, making the experience traumatic for fans at the stadium.

Many believe that West Bengal, and Kolkata in particular, has returned to international attention after a long time — but for all the wrong reasons.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Argentine footballer Lionel Messi in Hyderabad on Saturday during the second leg of the GOAT India Tour of Argentininan football greay.

Messi presented a signed jersey to the Congress MP, and the two spoke briefly at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

Addressing fans in Hyderabad, Messi said, “for the love I’ve received today and always”.

Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy was also present at the venue and, before Gandhi arrived, spent some time with Messi on the ground, where they were seen casually kicking a football.

Messi reached Hyderabad on Saturday evening, a few hours after disorder marked the opening leg of his India tour in Kolkata.

Around 50,000 spectators at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, many of whom paid between Rs 4,000 and Rs 12,000 — and in some cases up to Rs 20,000 in the black market — were left upset as politicians, VVIPs, security personnel and others surrounded Messi, leaving fans unable to get a clear view.

The situation escalated when angry spectators threw bottles, which are banned inside sports venues. Questions were raised over how such items, including food packets, were allowed into the stadium. Chairs were later pulled out and thrown.

Fibreglass seats were found damaged across the field and the synthetic track.

Lionel Messi Mumbai Event: Key Itinerary

First-half competition: 15 minutes

Halftime: 10-minute musical tribute to Lionel Messi

After a whirlwind opening across Kolkata and Hyderabad, the Lionel Messi G.O.A.T. Tour now heads to Mumbai, with the financial capital set to roll out the red carpet for the Argentine icon at a glittering event on Sunday, December 14.

Messi is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on the morning of December 14 following his Hyderabad engagements. The day’s programme includes his participation in the Padel GOAT Cup at the Cricket Club of India (CCI), before the focus shifts to the iconic Wankhede Stadium, where the main celebrations will unfold.

The evening event at Wankhede is expected to begin around 5 pm, with gates opening approximately three hours earlier. The programme will culminate in a charity fashion show accompanied by live Spanish music performances, promising a blend of sport, culture and entertainment.

Messi will be joined throughout the tour, including the Mumbai leg, by his close teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. The guest list is expected to feature several prominent names, including Bollywood stars John Abraham, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Jackie Shroff, along with leading figures from cricket and other local celebrities.

A strong emphasis has been placed on charity during the Mumbai stop. Highlights include an auction of memorabilia from Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph and youth coaching initiatives such as Project Mahadeva, which will involve 60 young players.

Among the high-profile attendees, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is expected to take part in a Padel match alongside Messi. Former India football captain Sunil Chhetri is also likely to be present, while John Abraham, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Jackie Shroff are among the Bollywood personalities tipped to attend.

Messi is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on the morning of December 14 following his Hyderabad engagements.

The day’s programme includes his participation in the Padel GOAT Cup at the Cricket Club of India (CCI), before the focus shifts to the iconic Wankhede Stadium, where the main celebrations will unfold.

Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of Lionel Messi GOAT Tour of India

After a whirlwind opening across Kolkata and Hyderabad, the Lionel Messi G.O.A.T.

Tour now heads to Mumbai, with the financial capital set to roll out the red carpet for the Argentine icon at a glittering event on Sunday, December 14.

Lionel Messi handed over an Argentina jersey as a memento to the organisers, while Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez were presented with mementos in return.

Following this, the trio left the field and returned to the stadium area, bringing the programme to an end for the day.

Messi will travel to Mumbai on Sunday for events at the CCI and Wankhede Stadium, before heading to Delhi on December 15.

— PTI_News (@PTI_News)

Lionel Messi arrived in Hyderabad on Saturday for the second leg of his GOAT India Tour 2025.

He was escorted under tight security following the disruption during his first stop in Kolkata earlier in the day.

Messi’s schedule in Hyderabad includes a 7v7 exhibition football match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, where Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is expected to join him on the field. The programme will end with a music event marking Messi’s career and achievements in football. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also reached Hyderabad.

— PTI_News (@PTI_News)

Lionel Messi’s Hyderabad leg of the G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025 is scheduled for Saturday, December 13. The Argentine superstar is expected to arrive at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad, between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm along with his team.

Following his arrival, Messi will head to Falaknuma Palace for a private meet-and-greet session scheduled at 5:00 pm.

This interaction will be restricted and accessible only to ticketed guests. Later in the evening, Messi will proceed to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal for the main event as part of his India tour.

After a chaotic and controversial Kolkata leg, Lionel Messi is expected to reach Hyderabad by 4 pm on Saturday to continue his GOAT Tour in India.

The Argentine superstar is slated to follow a similar itinerary, beginning with his arrival in the city, followed by a closed-door meet-and-greet before heading to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is scheduled to welcome Messi at the venue. Messi will also take part in a planned penalty shootout.

However, after the scenes witnessed in Kolkata earlier in the day, questions remain over whether the schedule will undergo last-minute changes.

Kolkata’s deep reverence for football was on full display on Saturday, but what should have been a moment of celebration quickly gave way to frustration and chaos as Lionel Messi’s much-awaited appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium ended in disappointment rather than delight.

The city’s long-anticipated encounter with the Argentine legend unravelled soon after it began. Messi, in India as part of his GOAT Tour, was forced to cut short his lap of honour at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan after the crowd became unmanageable. As tempers rose, bottles were hurled and security officials swiftly escorted the football icon off the field within minutes.

Several spectators, including those who had purchased high-priced tickets, said they never got a clear view of Messi — neither in person nor on the giant screens — despite waiting for hours. Tight security arrangements and the presence of politicians and dignitaries in prime areas further blocked sightlines, adding to the growing resentment in the stands.

The situation soon spiralled. Banners were torn down, seats were damaged and chairs were flung onto the field, highlighting glaring lapses in crowd management at one of India’s biggest sporting arenas. Outside the stadium, angry fans told reporters that Messi had barely been visible before being hurried away.

Online, the anger only intensified. Social media platforms were flooded with criticism of the organisers, with many calling the event poorly planned.

“We paid thousands just to watch politicians take selfies while Messi disappeared in minutes,” one fan wrote on X.

“This is not crowd trouble—this is organiser failure,” posted another.

Others said the chaos was depressingly familiar.

“Every big sporting event follows the same script. When will we finally learn?” read a widely shared post.

Earlier in the day, Messi had virtually unveiled a 70-foot iron statue at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, depicting him holding the FIFA World Cup trophy. Built in just 40 days, the tribute drew admiration across the city.

However, the disorder at Salt Lake Stadium overshadowed what was meant to be a historic and unifying occasion for Indian football fans, once again exposing the disconnect between immense passion in the stands and the lack of professionalism behind the scenes.

What began as a moment of celebration during Lionel Messi’s Kolkata leg of the GOAT Tour turned into chaos on Saturday as fans expressed their disappointment when the Argentine legend left the Salt Lake Stadium much earlier than planned, leaving the crowd furious.

Many spectators who paid hefty amounts to catch a glimpse of Messi began throwing water bottles and chairs from the stands. The angry crowd also entered the ground, attempting to vandalise tents and the goalpost.

An angry fan told ANI, “Seeing the utter chaos, the management, the authorities, it was absolutely rubbish. All the people you see here love football. We all wanted to see Messi, but it was a total scam. We want our money back… The management was so bad. It is a black day for Kolkata. Kolkata is known for football, and we love football, we love Argentina, but this experience is absolutely a scam. The ministers were there with their children, and the other people could not see anything… We are very hurt.”

Another fan said, “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. He came for 10 minutes and left. So much money, emotions, and time wasted. We couldn’t see anything.”

A fan of Messi added, “It is very disappointing that after paying such a hefty amount. They had 50 people around him, and we could not even get a glimpse of him for once… He just waved a couple of times, and that’s it.”

Another fan told ANI, “We have given so much money for this event and the most important thing is that Messi has come for this event and what message we have given to him… The sports minister is clicking a picture with Messi, and everyone is trying to manage the people… I don’t know about Shah Rukh Khan, whether he came or not… It is very shameful for the event management and the government as well.”

“It was really disappointing, we came all the way from Darjeeling for this… We couldn’t even see him properly, and that was the most disappointing thing I have ever witnessed,” a fan said.

A fan of Messi said, “We are very disappointed… My child was very excited to see Messi… I think it’s a scam for the people. When Messi arrived, everyone surrounded him.”

“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,” an angry fan told ANI.

“The minimum price of the ticket was 5 thousand, and why were the VVIPs around Messi? We couldn’t even see him… Why weren’t the police taking action? I don’t know anything. Everyone was furious… We want the refund,” another fan added.

Earlier, Messi virtually inaugurated a 70-foot-tall statue of himself at Lake Town in Kolkata on Saturday, along with West Bengal Minister and Sree Bhumi Sporting Club President Sujit Bose.

The Sree Bhumi Sporting Club has completed the construction of a massive 70-foot iron statue at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata, depicting Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy. The statue will be virtually unveiled by Messi himself, adding to the excitement for his fans.

— PTI_News (@PTI_News)

Lionel Messi has concluded the Kolkata leg of his much-anticipated GOAT Tour India 2025 and is set to fly to Hyderabad next.

The Argentine superstar’s visit to the City of Joy drew massive crowds, with fans flocking to see the football legend in person.

After a series of events, including the unveiling of his 70-foot statue, Messi now moves on to Hyderabad, where more matches, fan interactions, and celebrations await.

— MamataOfficial (@MamataOfficial)

The Salt Lake Stadium descended into chaos as frustrated fans rioted and vandalised sections of the ground, once celebrated as the home of Indian football. Police and security personnel rushed to regain control amid the mayhem, as live footage showed the scene spiralling out of hand.

Angry supporters booed officials and politicians, even hurling bottles, forcing Lionel Messi to cut short his stadium lap.

The Argentine superstar, who had been at the venue for just five minutes, waved briefly at the crowd before exiting amid the chaos. The incident has left fans and authorities reeling.