Rs 89 crore tour fee, but why was Lionel Messi unhappy in Kolkata? Organiser reveals

Lionel Messi Tour of India

What was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime moment for thousands of football fans in Kolkata ended in disappointment after Lionel Messi cut short his appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium, unsettled by chaotic crowd scenes that left him visibly uncomfortable.

Arrested event organiser Satadru Dutta has told investigators that the Argentine football legend was deeply disturbed by the lack of personal space during the December 13 event. According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Dutta said Messi “did not like being touched or hugged,” a concern that had been clearly communicated in advance by the footballer’s foreign security team but was not enforced on the ground.

“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.”

Videos from inside the stadium showed West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas staying close to Messi, at times holding him while posing for photographs. Biswas later stepped down amid allegations that he allowed relatives and acquaintances into restricted areas, worsening the crowding around the football star.

Investigators are now piecing together how security arrangements fell apart so quickly. Dutta claimed that only 150 ground passes were originally issued, but the number allegedly swelled after a “very influential person” arrived at the venue and changed 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 details about the cost of bringing Messi to India, claiming the footballer was paid Rs 89 crore, with Rs 11 crore paid as tax, taking the total expenditure to Rs 100 crore. Officials said roughly 30 per cent of the funds came from sponsors, with another 30 per cent generated through ticket sales.

The SIT has since frozen Dutta’s bank accounts, detecting more than Rs 20 crore, and seized documents during searches at his residence. Dutta has maintained that the money came from legitimate ticket sales and sponsorships, a claim that investigators are now verifying.

For fans in the stands, the chaos meant heartbreak. As crowds surged onto the field, Messi was barely visible, despite many spectators having paid thousands of rupees for their seats. The frustration spilled over after his early exit, with angry fans vandalising parts of the stadium.

Messi had planned stadium appearances in four Indian cities, starting with Kolkata. While the Kolkata event spiralled into disorder after politicians and officials surrounded him, his subsequent visits to Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi were calm and celebratory. There, he posed for photographs, greeted fans warmly, showcased his warm-up routines and even played briefly with young footballers — offering a glimpse of the magic Kolkata fans were hoping to witness.