New Delhi, Dec 13 (NationPress) Kolkata has a deep reverence for football legends. However, this past Saturday, that admiration morphed into disappointment as Lionel Messi's highly awaited visit concluded not with cheers, but with frustration and disorder at the Salt Lake Stadium.

The city’s eagerly anticipated meeting with the Argentine star took a turn when Messi, present in India for his GOAT Tour, was compelled to abbreviate his celebratory lap at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan due to an overwhelming crowd surge. Tensions escalated, bottles were hurled, and security personnel whisked him off the field in mere minutes.

Numerous fans, including those who splurged on premium tickets, lamented that they never got a glimpse of Messi—neither in person nor on the stadium’s large screens—despite hours of waiting. A robust security perimeter and the presence of politicians and dignitaries in prime viewing spots only exacerbated the visibility issues, leading to heightened frustration among attendees.

As emotions flared, the atmosphere inside the stadium worsened. Banners became targets for vandalism, seats were damaged, and chairs were tossed to the ground, revealing significant failures in crowd management at one of the nation’s largest sporting arenas. Outside, furious fans expressed their discontent to the media, noting that Messi had barely spent a few minutes on the field before his swift exit.

The fallout spilled over to social media, where supporters criticized the organizers for what they termed “disorganized planning” and “complete mismanagement.”

“We shelled out thousands just to watch politicians take selfies while Messi vanished in moments,” one user posted on X.

“This isn’t crowd chaos—this is organizer incompetence,” commented another.

Many fans noted that this was not the first time a major event had ended in turmoil.

“Every significant sporting event follows the same pattern. When will we learn?” read a widely circulated post.

Earlier that day, Messi had unveiled a magnificent 70-foot iron statue at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town—an impressive tribute depicting him holding the FIFA World Cup trophy. This statue, completed in just 40 days, received admiration and applause from fans throughout the city.

Nonetheless, the chaos at Salt Lake Stadium overshadowed what was meant to be a moment of unity for Indian football supporters, once again highlighting the disparity between the passion of the fans and the professionalism of the organizers.