NEW DELHI: Kolkata has a tradition of celebrating football icons. On Saturday afternoon, that expectation turned into anger as Lionel Messi ’s scheduled appearance ended amid disorder at the Salt Lake Stadium. The city’s long wait to see the Argentine star did not last long. Messi, who is in India as part of his GOAT Tour, was forced to end his lap of honour at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan after the crowd surged towards the field. Bottles were thrown from the stands, and security staff escorted him off the ground within minutes. What was meant to be a memorable day for football fans in the City of Joy turned into confusion, with “less of Messi” and more of what several spectators described as a “royal mess”, as order inside the stadium broke down. Many fans, inclu

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