Thousands of football fans had gathered in Kolkata this morning to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi. But what could have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness live one of the greatest footballers of their times turned out to be a nightmare.

The city’s long wait to see the Argentine star did not last long. Messi 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.

The marquee football spectacle turned into chaos as thousands of Messi’s fans protested after failing to get a clear glimpse of the star and started throwing bottles and chairs.