A planned celebration for Indian football fans, centered around a meet-and-greet with global icon Lionel Messi in Kolkata, descended into disarray and disappointment. The event, which followed Messi’s arrival in India after winning the MLS title and the unveiling of a statue in his honor, was marred by poor organization and brief access to the star.

Frustration boiled over among supporters, with many now requesting refunds. One attendee expressed that the event seemed tailored for dignitaries and their families, leaving ordinary fans with severely limited visibility. As reported by the Touchline channel on social media platform X:

“Messi’s Kolkata visit turns sour as fans vent anger over mismanaged meet-and-greet; calls for refunds grow.”

Another fan revealed that the actual interaction with Messi lasted only around ten minutes. The discontent escalated to the point where some agitated supporters resorted to vandalizing parts of the Salt Lake Stadium, the venue for the ill-fated gathering.

The Times of India reported that many ticket-holders said that they failed to see Messi at all — either in person or on the stadium’s big screens — despite waiting for hours.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee apologized to the Argentine soccer star for the “mismanagement” of the event.

“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium,” Banerjee wrote on social media, where she also apologized to fans who had expected more after paying for tickets.

Banerjee said a committee would be constituted to “conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.”

Irate fans – many of whom wore Messi Argentina shirts – threw seats from the stands, then forced their way past security fences onto the field and attempted to cause more damage before overwhelmed security personnel chased them away. Messi had already left.

Messi’s three-day “GOAT India Tour” was to bring the World Cup winner from Kolkata to Hyderabad and then Mumbai before concluding in New Delhi on Monday. He was joined by longtime teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul.

Earlier Saturday, Messi remotely “unveiled” a 21-meter (70-foot) statue of himself in Kolkata.