Lionel Messi GOAT Tour – Why did the Kolkata event end in chaos and how much did Messi get paid?

Satadru Dutta, the chief organizer of Lionel Messi GOAT Tour of India, has told investigators that the legendary footballer was unhappy with excessive body contact during the stage in Kolkata, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI).

What had happened?

The Kolkata leg of the tour was scheduled as a four-hour program starting at 9:00 am. Messi arrived at the Salt Lake Stadium with Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez.

As Messi paraded around the grounds and waved to fans, the crowd continued to grow, making it increasingly difficult for police to control the gathering.

Messi would conduct a coaching clinic with children from all districts of West Bengal. Instead, as more people flooded the field, the Argentinian left early, infuriating fans who paid up to Rs. 20,000 for tickets.

After Messi left the venue, angry fans invaded parts of the stadium, throwing water bottles, vandalizing posters and vandalizing the box seats.

Why did the chaos happen?

According to PTIDutta said during a lengthy interrogation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that Messi “did not like to be touched on the back or hugged” and that concerns had been raised in advance by the foreign security officials responsible for protecting the footballer.

«Despite repeated public announcements to control the crowd, there was no impact. The way Messi was surrounded and hugged was completely unacceptable for the World Cup-winning footballer,» Dutta reportedly told investigators during his grilling on Friday.

Dutta also claimed that only 150 ground passes were initially issued, but that number was tripled when a «very influential person» reached the stadium and «overpowered» him.

The police are investigating whether the extensive access directly contributed to the failure of crowd control.

“The arrested accused also claimed that once that particular influential person reached the stadium, the entire flowchart for the Messi program got disrupted and he had no control over it,” the official said. PTI.

What actions have been taken so far?

West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas was seen close to Messi throughout the programme, with footage showing him holding the footballer around his waist as he posed for photographs. Amid mounting criticism, Biswas resigned as Sports Minister pending the completion of the investigation.

The West Bengal government has also set up an SIT comprising senior IPS officers Piyush Pandey, Javed Shamim, Supratim Sarkar and Muralidhar to probe the vandalism at the Salt Lake stadium.

The SIT is also probing security lapses, access violations and the role of organizers and officials in the incident, the officer added.

How much was Messi paid for the event?

“Lionel Messi received Rs 89 crore for the tour while Rs 11 crore was paid as tax to the Indian government,” Dutta reportedly told investigators, estimating the total expenditure at Rs 100 crore.

Of this amount, 30 percent reportedly came from sponsors, while another 30 percent was generated through ticket sales. Meanwhile, an amount of over Rs 20 crore was found in Dutta’s frozen bank accounts by the SIT officers, an officer said PTI.

«Dutta claimed that the amount in his bank account was the money he got from the sale of the tickets for the Messi event in Calcutta and Hyderabad, and also from the sponsors. We are verifying his claims,» ​​the officer added.

(with inputs from PTI)

Published on December 21, 2025