Why Lionel Messi Was Unhappy In Kolkata Despite ₹89 Crore India Tour Fee? Organizer Reveals...

Last Updated:December 21, 2025, 14:10 IST

Lionel Messi left Kolkata early after chaotic scenes at Salt Lake Stadium, organiser Satadru Dutta reveals. SIT probes security lapses and financial details.

Lionel Messi in Kolkata (Picture credit: PTI)

Arrested organiser Satadru Dutta has told investigators that Lionel Messi cut short his Kolkata appearance after being left deeply uncomfortable by chaotic crowd scenes at the Salt Lake Stadium on December 13.

According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Dutta said Messi “did not like being touched or hugged," a concern that had been clearly flagged in advance by the footballer’s foreign security team. Those warnings, however, were ignored.

“Repeated announcements were made asking people to restrain themselves, but it had no effect," Dutta told investigators. “The way Messi was surrounded and embraced was completely unacceptable to him."

Visuals from the event showed West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas staying close to Messi, at times holding him while posing for photographs. Biswas later resigned amid allegations that he allowed relatives and acquaintances access to the ground area.

Investigators are now probing how security collapsed so completely. Dutta claimed only 150 ground passes were initially issued, but that number allegedly tripled after a “very influential person" arrived and overruled the plan.

“Once that person reached the stadium, the entire flow of the programme was disturbed," an officer quoted Dutta as saying.

Dutta also disclosed financial details of Messi’s India visit, claiming the footballer was paid ₹89 crore, with ₹11 crore paid as tax — taking the total cost to ₹100 crore. About 30 per cent came from sponsors and another 30 per cent from ticket sales, investigators said.

The SIT has frozen Dutta’s bank accounts, uncovering over ₹20 crore, and seized documents during raids at his residence. Dutta claimed the money came from ticket sales and sponsorships — a claim now under verification.

What was meant to be a marquee football spectacle descended into chaos as fans flooded the field, leaving Messi barely visible from the stands. Angry spectators later vandalised parts of the stadium, capping off a night that spiralled into a security nightmare.

(with PTI inputs)

News sports football Why Lionel Messi Was Unhappy In Kolkata Despite ₹89 Crore India Tour Fee? Organizer Reveals...

Read More