Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025: What was that big uproar?

Novel off helping Inter Miami procure its first MLS Cup, Lionel Messi wasted no time getting motivate to work.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion spent the most appealing few days on a four-city day out in India for a series of promotional events branded as Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025.

While in India visiting Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Contemporary Delhi, Messi was scheduled to procure on-pitch appearances, support concert events and childhood football clinics, budge to a padel tournament and launch charitable initiatives. There was no expectation that Messi would play in a competitive match, given he’s correct come off a grueling championship campaign with Inter Miami and can play within the 2026 World Cup this summer season (though, he has yet to formally decide to Argentina’s repeat train).

So, seems straightforward ample, exact?

Well … now not so considerable. Right by technique of Messi’s appearance on the significant stop of the tour in Kolkata on Dec. 13, things got out of hand.

What came about in Kolkata?

Chaos.

Fans ripped up seats and threw these and other objects onto the pitch at the Salt Lake stadium. There had been security breaches and followers running on the pitch. The match’s chief organiser, Satadru Dutta, was detained by police.

“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium,” Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal (India), wrote on X. “I sincerely apologize to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident.”

They did organize to unveil a 70-foot statue of Messi in Kolkata.

Why had been followers in Kolkata so upset?

Well, regardless of no promise of Messi taking half in any form of soccer, his appearance did now not satisfy the followers who paid to procure into the Salt Lake stadium to procure a stare of the soccer G.O.A.T.

In step with stories within the Indian media, Messi walked across the sphere waving to the followers, but was closely surrounded by a nicely-organized neighborhood of of us and left 20 minutes after arrival. Messi’s lap across the stadium was cut rapid as a result of safety concerns.

Mayhem ensued when the followers realized they’d now not incessantly look the soccer icon.

Tickets for the match had been priced from around 3,500 rupees ($38.65) — extra than half of the frequent weekly earnings in India.

“Absolutely terrible event,” a fan instructed ANI. “(Messi) came for just 10 minutes. All the leaders and ministers surrounded him.

“We couldn’t look the rest. He did now not rob a single kick or a single penalty. He got here for 10 minutes and left. So considerable money, emotions, and time wasted. We couldn’t look the rest.”

Anything else happen during Messi’s other three stops in India?

There was no chaos at the final three stops of Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025 in Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

Events in those three locations — featuring Messi and his Inter Miami teammates, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul — went ahead without issues. The three players — fresh off an MLS Cup win — walked around the field occasionally kicking a ball into the packed stands, and engaged in kickabouts with local children.

Why was Messi on a tour so shortly after winning MLS Cup?

Like, why isn’t Messi hanging out on a South Florida beach relaxing and basking in the glory of leading a team that was a figment of David Beckham’s imagination a decade ago to a league championship?

(Insert money bag emoji here.)

Messi is in the twilight of his illustrious career — one that has him top of mind in any “ideal ever” conversations — and at 38 years old, the window of opportunity to capitalize on his playing days is closing. In October, Messi signed a three-year contract extension with Inter Miami that runs through 2028. He’ll be in his 40s when that contract expires.

Anger over Messi tours is not new

Remember in early 2024 when Inter Miami went on an international tour during the preseason that included stops in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan? Who could forget?

Let’s just start this by saying that no MLS club should be going on a hyped-up global preseason tour. “Work in growth” is a nice way of describing the state of most Major League Soccer teams’ rosters in the weeks leading up to the regular-season openers.

In a development that should have been anticipated, Inter Miami’s preseason tour did not go according to plan.

Inter Miami’s stop in Saudi Arabia was, well, less than encouraging. After a 4-3 loss to Al Hilal, Messi and Co. were clobbered 6-0 by Al Nassr, the club of Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn’t play in the game.

But Messi picked up a knock — “hamstring discomfort” — and only came into the Al Nassr match as a late-game substitute. At Inter Miami’s next stop on the tour in Hong Kong, Messi did not play and the soccer G.O.A.T., his teammates and Beckham were serenaded with boos.

On the final leg of the preseason tour, Messi came on as a substitute again in a 0-0 draw against Vissel Kobe in Japan.

The 2024 MLS season went well for Messi, who won the first of two consecutive MVP awards and Inter Miami won the Supporters’ Shield.

Contributing: Reuters