Star India batter Virat Kohli has arrived back in the country amid the ongoing GOAT India tour of football icon Lionel Messi, triggering excitement and speculation among fans. Kohli was seen landing in Mumbai along with his wife, Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma. The former India captain had earlier left the country following the conclusion of the three match ODI series against South Africa. Kohli’s return has quickly fuelled talk of a potential meeting with Lionel Messi, a moment fans have long hoped to witness. Messi landed in Kolkata on December 13 and is scheduled to travel to Mumbai on December 14, where he is set to interact with fans at the Wankhede Stadium. With both global superstars now expected to be in the same city, social media has been buzzing with anticipation over a possible crossover.
Fans have been eagerly speculating about a Kohli Messi meeting, viewing it as a rare coming together of two sporting greats who dominate their respective games and command massive followings in India and across the world.
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Messi’s Kolkata Visit Marred by Chaos and Disappointment
While anticipation around Messi’s India tour remains high, the football legend’s first day in the country did not unfold as expected. Thousands of fans gathered at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata hoping to catch a glimpse of Messi, only to leave disappointed after reports suggested that the Argentine icon exited the venue within ten minutes of stepping onto the field.
Eyewitness accounts indicated that Messi’s planned lap around the stadium never fully materialised. As he entered the ground, he was immediately surrounded by politicians, officials, celebrities and their family members, along with a heavy presence of photographers. The congestion around Messi became overwhelming, forcing his security team to abandon the stadium lap altogether, which significantly reduced his interaction with the wider crowd.
As information spread that Messi would not remain at the venue for long, frustration began to grow among fans in the stands. Tensions escalated once the footballer left the field in under ten minutes, leading to anger and unrest inside the stadium.
Unrest Erupts at Salt Lake Stadium
Many supporters, some of whom had arrived early in the morning and paid premium prices for tickets, questioned the event’s planning and access arrangements. Protests soon broke out inside the venue, with bottles reportedly thrown, hoardings damaged and sections of the crowd turning violent. Security personnel were forced to intervene to control the situation as chaos unfolded.
The scenes in Kolkata cast a shadow over the opening day of Messi’s much awaited India tour, even as fans now look ahead to the Mumbai leg, where hopes remain high for a smoother experience and, possibly, a historic meeting between Lionel Messi and Virat Kohli.
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