'Messi Did Fraud': Fans Fume As No Action From Lionel Messi at GOAT India Tour 2025 in Kolkata

Soccer fans in Kolkata were frustrated after their expectations and money were wasted in chaos and disruption on Saturday, December 13. According to spectators who attended the GOAT India Tour 2025 event said there was a rare sighting of Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

Fans had been waiting for this day for months to see their ultimate magic man, Lionel Messi. They had purchased tickets for the GOAT India Tour 2025 event in advance, which was priced at Rs 18,000 per ticket just to have a look at the Argentina legend footballer in person.

After the arrival of Messi, chaos ensued in the stadium when bottles and chairs were thrown by angry fans. Messi's 22-minute appearance in front of their fans left them fuming as they expected more from him, like a sports game or action or a goal, but it was just a hand waving from him.

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: Angry fans threw bottles and chairs from the stands at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium

Star footballer Lionel Messi has left the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/mcxi6YROyr

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2025

Fans realised quickly that the glimpse of their favourite football star was even shorter than what they were expecting, which gave them more anger they resorted to vandalism at the stadium. The crowd were seen throwing plastic bottles and chairs from the stands. They broke barricades to storm the ground that was refurbished for the 2017 under-17 World Cup.    

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Lionel Messi kickstarted his GOAT India Tour 2025 from Kolkata and arrived in the city to a huge fan turnout at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at 2.26 am. 

Messi was supposed to attend a grand felicitation ceremony expected to be attended by teammates, and by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former India cricket and former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. However, none of that happened as the event was cut short amid the chaos.

A fan of star footballer Lionel Messi said they were scammed in the name of the event, as it was a terrible event. He claimed that the Argentine football star came just for 10 minutes and even during this, all political leaders and ministers surrounded him. 

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: A fan of star footballer Lionel Messi says, "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. They said they would bring… https://t.co/Ce4kNu8dBHpic.twitter.com/Rpko4UwlLW

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2025

"We couldn't see anything. He didn't take a single kick or a single penalty. They said they would bring Shah Rukh Khan too. They didn't bring anyone. He came for 10 minutes and left. So much money, emotions, and time wasted. We couldn't see anything," a fan told the news agency ANI.

Leaders and politicians who surrounded Messi when he entered the stadium in Kolkata at 11.30 am were Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas, Mohun Bagan president Debasish Dutta and general secretary Srinjoy Biswas. 

Fans are now demanding ticket refunds, which they bought to catch a glimpse ofthe  Argentine star. They were priced between Rs 4,000 and Rs 18,000 each.