December 13 was an unforgettable day for Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, which hosted football icon Lionel Messi. Fans in huge numbers made it to the stadium, paying whopping ticket prices just to get a glimpse of the Argentine superstar, but left dejected over the turn of events at the venue. Messi could remain for only 20 to 25 minutes before being escorted out. As he appeared on the ground, Messi was swarmed by more than 100 people, including several politicians, dignitaries, and security personnel. As fans failed to see him, they turned violent, forcing the player to leave the ground.
Former India midfielder Lalkamal Bhowmick, who was one of the players in the exhibition match that took place between Mohun Bagan Messi XI and the Diamond Harbour Messi XI, revealed that the Argentine superstar got irritated and lost his cool over what traspired at the venue.
“Everything was going fine at the start as Messi walked into the stadium. He seemed relaxed, smiling, and shaking hands with all of us. He even gave autographs without hesitation,” Bhowmick told Sports Now.
“The moment too many people rushed onto the field and started clicking pictures, he became visibly uncomfortable,” he added.
As the situation turned from bad to worse, Messi failed to keep his cool.
“It got overcrowded very quickly, and we could see his reaction change as everyone around him started clicking pictures. He began showing signs of irritation, lost his cool, and everything went out of control,” Bhowmick said.