West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has apologized to Argentina icon Lionel Messi and to fans in Kolkata for the mismanagement at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, December 13. Banerjee also stated that she is constituting an enquiry committee to conduct a thorough investigation to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.As part of the first leg of the GOAT tour in India, Lionel Messi entered the Salt Lake Stadium alongside Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. However, the 38-year-old was surrounded by political leaders, celebrities, and coaches, resulting in thousands of fans being unable to view the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.Due to the poor planning, Messi was forced to exit early, much to the chagrin of fans who paid up to ₹18,000 to purchase tickets. This led to numerous fans losing their cool and vandalizing the stadium, as well as hurling bottles and chairs.Following the incident, Banerjee posted on X:"I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi. I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident."She added:"I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future. Once again, I extend my heartfelt apologies to all sports lovers."Messi is expected to visit Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi for the GOAT tour over the next three days.Lionel Messi makes history after winning 2025 MLS MVP awardInter Miami ace Lionel Messi has become the first footballer to win the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award in back-to-back seasons (h/t GOAL). The 38-year-old won the award earlier this week, securing 70.43 percent of the total votes, finishing above Anders Dreyer, Denis Bouanga, Evander, and Sam Surridge.Messi had a phenomenal 2025 campaign for the Herons, scoring 43 goals and providing 26 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions. His feats helped Inter Miami win the MLS Cup for the first time in the club's history. Additionally, he also became the second player in MLS history to accumulate the most goals and assists in the same season, matching Sebastian Giovinco's record in 2015.