Scenes of chaos unfolded at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Friday as Lionel Messi was forced to leave the venue barely 20 minutes after arriving, following crowd unrest and a breakdown in security arrangements.

The Argentine superstar's appearance as part of the Goat Tour of India 2025 was cut short after organisers and police struggled to control the massive crowd that had gathered inside the stadium.

As tensions rose, angry spectators began throwing water bottles, while several banners and hoardings were torn down, creating panic and confusion in the stands.

Visuals from the stadium showed widespread disorder, with security personnel overwhelmed by the situation. The unrest escalated quickly, prompting authorities to remove Messi from the field for safety reasons.

According to News 18, a local media, Messi has been taken to the airport and will soon be flown to Hyderabad, his second stop in the tour.

Earlier, Messi met with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and other dignitaries and organisers at a closed-door event.