The arrival of ‘God of Football’ Lionel Messi at the ‘Mecca of Indian Football’ should have been a memorable moment of the century in the history books. However, it ended up in a complete ‘mess’.

The latest incident involving the presence of Messi-- moving in a ring of security, surrounded by influential individuals trying to get clicked with him-- left the fans frustrated at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium). The anger was to such an extent that fans threw bottles and chairs, at a moment when they were expected to shower flowers for Messi’s arrival to the city.

Messi had earlier visited Kolkata in 2011, when he led Argentina against Venezuela in a FIFA international friendly. That match was an official exhibition aimed at promoting the sport. In contract,

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