Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar could become the next football superstars to visit India. After the fiasco in Kolkata last year, which triggered widespread criticism and legal scrutiny, organizer Satadru Dutta has claimed he remains determined to bring the icons to India.
“Absolutely. I will bring Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and many others. Why should I stop?” Dutta said in an exclusive interaction with Sports Now.
“My dream in Bengal may have been shattered, but organizing international football events is my core competency.”
The organizer pointed to his long history of bringing major football personalities to India, arguing that the Kolkata controversy should not overshadow his overall track record.
“I have brought Messi, Pelé, Maradona, Ronaldinho, Emiliano Martinez and many others to India over the last 15 years with a clean record,” he said.
“Once I clear my name legally, I will continue organizing major events.”
The Messi event in Kolkata had generated massive attention before descending into chaos amid allegations of crowd mismanagement, VIP interference and security concerns. Messi eventually left the ground earlier than expected, with the incident later becoming one of the biggest sporting controversies in Bengal in recent years.
‘Lionel Messi’s Team Said Minister Was The Real Culprit’: Satadru Dutta On Kolkata Chaos | EXCLUSIVE
Dutta has repeatedly maintained that administrative failures and political interference were responsible for the situation, while also claiming he was made a scapegoat after the controversy erupted.
Apart from security and organizational concerns, the event also faced criticism from some fans over the high ticket prices. Responding to those concerns, Dutta defended the pricing structure and said many people underestimated the financial scale required to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting icons to India.
“People need to understand the scale of such an event. Lionel Messi is not an ordinary celebrity,” he said.
“Bringing him to India involves huge costs, taxes and payments in dollars.”
Dutta also stressed that the event’s financial side had been conducted transparently. “I did everything through proper channels and transparent transactions,” he said.
“If people want luxury-level experiences, there is obviously a price attached to it,” he added.
Despite the controversy surrounding the Kolkata leg of Messi’s India tour, Dutta’s latest remarks indicate that he still sees India as a destination capable of hosting some of the world’s football’s biggest names in the years ahead.
