Sunil Gavaskar blamed Lionel Messi for the chaos at Kolkata’s GOAT India Tour 2025, saying Messi left Salt Lake Stadium early, frustrating fans. The incident led to vandalism and the organizer’s arrest, overshadowing the event.
Former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar did not hesitate to aim at Argentine football legend Lionel Messi and his entourage for the chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata during his GOAT India Tour 2025. The legendary footballer arrived in India for a four-city tour as part of his promotional engagement, and Kolkata was the first stop before heading to Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.
Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata on Sunday, December 14, and headed to the Salt Lake Stadium, where a huge crowd was waiting in anticipation to catch a glimpse of the legendary footballer, who made his first visit to the country since 2011. However, the event, which was supposed to grand celebration with Messi, spiralled into chaos due to mismanagement and poor crowd control.
The fans were quite frustrated and angry as they could not properly catch a glimpse of the Argentine legend, as his appearance was cut short due to overcrowding and blocking by VIPs, and the spectators resorted to stadium vandalism, leading to the arrest of the event organiser Satadru Dutta as part of the investigation into the matter ordered by the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamta Banerjee.
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‘Messi and His Entourage Were the Real Culprits’
Lionel Messi’s Kolkata event became one of the most talked-about during his GOAT India Tour 2025 as the chaotic scenes led to the Argentine legend's early exit from the stadium and sparked a massive backlash from fans, who vented out their frustration over poor planning and unfulfilled promises.
However, Sunil Gavaskar put the blame on Lionel Messi and his team for the chaotic scenes in Kolkata. In his Sportstar column, the Indian batting legend wrote that the Argentine football star and his entourage failed to fulfil their commitment to the fans, and added that Messi and his team were the real culprits behind the chaos rather than solely the event organisers.
“Everyone was blamed except the person who failed to honour his commitment," Gavaskar wrote.
“What the agreement was isn’t public, but if he was meant to be there for an hour and left well before that, then the real culprit was he and his entourage," he added.
Lionel Messi’s visit to the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata was supposed to be a two-hour event, but the Argentine legend’s abrupt exit after a 20-minute appearance at the venue sparked massive outrage among the fans who felt short-changed after waiting for hours. The abrupt departure, combined with overcrowding and unmet expectations, eventually led to chaotic scenes that overshadowed what was supposed to be a historic celebration of one of football's greatest icons.
No Security Threat to Lionel Messi and his Team
Sunil Gavaskar further noted that there was no security threat to the Argentine football legend and his team despite being crowded by the VIPs at the Salt Lake Stadium, and questioned Lionel Messi for cutting short his appearance when there was nothing tangible happening.
“Yes, he was surrounded by politicians and so-called VIPs, but there was no security threat to him or his entourage," the 125-Test veteran further wrote.
“Was he supposed to simply walk around the stadium, or do something tangible like take a penalty kick? If it were the latter, those around him would automatically have had to move, and the crowd would have seen their hero do what they had come to watch," he added.
Consequently, Lionel Messi’s trip to the other three cities, including Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi, saw largely smoother and more positive engagements, with fans getting to see exhibition matches and catch a glimpse of the legendary footballer.
Messi was accompanied by his Inter-Miami teammates, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, as they interacted with supporters, signed autographs, and took part in on-field activities that delighted fans and avoided the chaos seen in Kolkata.
