Lionel Messi angry after fans threw chairs and bottles at stadium event on ‘GOAT’ India tour

Angry fans attending Lionel Messi’s India tour tore seats and threw objects towards the stadium after he appeared at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.

Thousands of passionate supporters paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100, $133) to see the soccer star, but were disappointed when he emerged to roam the stadium and was overshadowed by a crowd of officials and celebrities.

The crowd turned hostile after the Argentina and Inter Miami forward was kicked out prematurely by security after about 20 minutes.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “very disturbed and shocked” by the incident.

Banerjee, who announced the inquiry, apologized to Messi and “sports lovers” for the incident that occurred on the pitch.

Prime Minister Lee said, “(The investigation committee) will closely investigate this incident, determine responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.”

A Messi spokesman said the pre-agreed time commitment had been fulfilled. Regarding the organization of the event itself, he referred the BBC to Banerjee’s apology posted on social media.

A police official told reporters that the event’s “organizer” had been arrested but gave no further details, AFP reported.

Authorities will look into ways organizers can refund money to people who bought tickets, the official added.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said it was not involved in this ‘private event’.

Messi is in India for the ‘GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Tour’, a series of promotional events taking place in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.

His tour began in Kolkata with the unveiling of a 21-metre-tall statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a crew of 45 people. Messi was virtually eliminated due to security concerns.

Thousands of fans flocked to the city’s stadiums for a chance to see the footballers in person.

They chanted, bought jerseys and wore ‘I love Messi’ headbands.

Messi initially left the stadium waving to fans, but after his appearance came to an abrupt end on Saturday, some frustrated fans stormed the pitch and vandalized banners and tents, while others threw plastic chairs and water bottles.

The 2022 World Cup winner, considered one of the greatest players in football history, was expected to play a brief exhibition match at the stadium, AFP reported.

A fan at the stadium told Indian news agency ANI, “There were only leaders and actors around Messi… Why did they call us then? We got tickets for 12,000 rupees but we couldn’t even see his face.”

One angry fan told Indian news agency Press Trust that people had paid the equivalent of a month’s salary to watch the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“We paid Rs 5,000 for the ticket and came with our son to see Messi, not a politician,” they said.

“Police and soldiers were taking selfies. Management is to blame.”

Messi was accompanied on the short visit by Inter Miami team-mates and Uruguayan star Luis Suarez and Argentina’s Rodrigo De Paul.

According to Reuters, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan also met Messi this morning.

Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and has a large football fan base in the cricket-crazy state.

In cities, it’s common to see hundreds of thousands of fans flock to stadiums when local clubs play derbies.

In the early hours of Saturday, thousands of people lined the streets and gathered outside the hotel where Messi was staying to meet him.

Hitesh, a 24-year-old corporate lawyer, flew about 1,900 kilometers from the southern Indian city of Bengaluru.

“It’s personal for me. As you can see, I’m short and I like playing football with my friends,” Hitesh told the BBC while standing in front of the statue.

“Messi is my favorite player. No one can match his talent. He gives me hope that if you have talent, you can do anything.”