What was billed as a historic, celebratory moment during Lionel Messi’s Kolkata stop on the GOAT Tour spiralled into chaos at the Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan on Friday, with allegations of serious mismanagement overshadowing the Argentine legend’s brief appearance.

Messi arrived at the Salt Lake Stadium on schedule, with his vehicle parked beside the field. However, moments after he stepped out, the scene descended into confusion as celebrities, former cricketers, organisers and unauthorised individuals crowded around him, breaching planned security protocols.

Despite repeated announcements by organiser Shatadru Dutta over the public address system urging those not part of Messi’s official entourage to vacate the field, the warnings went largely ignored. The crowd surged forward, with many attempting to take selfies and seek autographs, creating an increasingly unsafe environment.

Messi managed to walk only a short distance onto the field, waving briefly to spectators as chants of “Messi, Messi” echoed through the stands. However, as the crowd pressure intensified and the situation appeared to slip out of control, the football icon was seen moving toward the stands before abruptly turning back.

Within minutes, Messi was escorted out of the stadium under heavy security, reportedly remaining inside the venue for less than 10 minutes. None of the pre-scheduled events, interactions, or presentations could take place.

His early exit triggered an angry backlash from sections of the crowd. Bottles were hurled from the stands, sponsor banners were torn down from the gallery, and chairs were reportedly thrown as tempers flared. Dramatic visuals of the unrest soon surfaced on social media, showing a venue in disarray and fans venting their frustration.

What was meant to be a landmark moment for Indian football instead ended in disappointment and disorder, raising serious questions about crowd control and event management at one of the most high-profile sporting appearances in recent memory.