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Lionel Messi
Claim: A viral quote attributed to Lionel Messi, reportedly given to Sky Sports, states: “
Visiting India has been the worst experience in my life.
The people there are so incompetent and full of complexes.
They could not even manage a simple meet-up.
Also, everything in the country is so unhygienic.”
Verdict: False
Upon rechecking with the latest available information from web searches, news outlets, and X (formerly Twitter), this quote remains entirely fabricated.
No new developments indicate Lionel Messi has made any such statement to Sky Sports or any other media outlet.
The claim continues to circulate as misinformation, primarily on social media platforms.
Background On Messi’s India Visit
Lionel Messi’s “GOAT Tour 2025” in India began on December 13, 2025, in Kolkata, with planned stops in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.
The tour features meet-and-greets, statue unveilings, concerts, youth football clinics, padel tournaments, and charitable initiatives.
This is Messi’s first visit to India since 2011.
The Kolkata event at Salt Lake Stadium (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan) descended into chaos due to poor organization.
Messi’s appearance lasted only 20-22 minutes, during which he waved to fans and took a lap around the pitch, but was obscured by VIPs and security.
Disappointed fans, who paid ticket prices starting at ₹4,000 (up to ₹12,000), reacted by throwing bottles and chairs, vandalizing seats and banners, and breaching barricades.
The unrest continued late into the night.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologized publicly to Messi and fans, describing the incident as “deeply disturbing” and “shocking” due to mismanagement.
She formed an inquiry committee to investigate and fix responsibility.
The event organizer, Satadru Dutta, was detained by police.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) expressed deep concern but clarified it was not involved, labeling it a private event by a PR agency.
Messi proceeded to Hyderabad for the next leg of the tour, including a 7v7 exhibition match and a concert, with no reported complaints from him or his team.
Evidence Against The Quote
- No Credible Reports: Extensive searches across major outlets (e.g., Sky Sports, ESPN, BBC, Reuters, The Guardian, Hindustan Times, NDTV, Economic Times) yield no evidence of Messi giving an interview or statement criticizing India, its people, hygiene, or event management. All coverage focuses on fan frustration, official apologies, and organizational failures, not on any remarks from Messi.
- No Sky Sports Involvement: Specific searches for Sky Sports content related to Messi and India show no interviews or quotes matching the claim. Sky Sports reported on the chaos but attributed no statements to Messi.
- Absence of Negative Terms from Messi: Words like “incompetent,” “unhygienic,” or “worst experience” appear in fan complaints or political criticisms of organizers, but never in quotes from Messi.
- X (Twitter) Analysis: Searches for high-engagement posts reveal the fake quote spreading virally, often from accounts in Pakistan or fan pages, paired with videos of the chaos. Posts express sympathy for fans or criticize organizers, but no verified accounts (e.g., from Messi, his team, or Sky Sports) share the quote. No results from Sky Sports handles mentioning such a statement.
Origin Of The Misinformation
The fabricated quote originated and spread on X, with early posts from accounts like @K4anSh3r amplifying it alongside unrelated footage of fan vandalism.
This appears to exploit the real mismanagement to fuel derogatory narratives, often from non-Indian accounts. Similar patterns of disinformation have been noted in past high-profile events.
Conclusion
As of the latest recheck on December 13, 2025, the Kolkata event was marred by poor planning and fan disappointment, but Lionel Messi has not publicly criticized India or its people.
The viral quote is baseless propaganda.
If genuine statements from Messi emerge, they would be reported by reputable sources like Sky Sports or ESPN.
Always cross-verify claims with multiple credible outlets to combat misinformation.
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