Scenes of chaos unfolded at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium in India, earlier today, December 13, after Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated appearance ended abruptly, leaving thousands of fans furious and disappointed.

Supporters who had paid as much as 12,000 rupees to see the Argentina captain ripped up plastic seats, hurled bottles and stormed the pitch after the football icon was escorted away barely 20 minutes into the event.

Lionel Messi, in India as part of his promotional GOAT tour, emerged onto the pitch to wave at the crowd but was largely hidden behind a heavy entourage of officials, celebrities and security personnel. When it became clear that his appearance was over and that no exhibition match would take place, tempers flared inside the packed stadium.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “deeply disturbed and shocked” by the disorder, as footage showed fans tearing down banners, smashing chairs and running onto the field.

Local media reported that many in the crowd had expected far more than a brief walkaround. The 2022 World Cup winner was widely believed to be taking part in a short exhibition game, according to AFP.

One fan, speaking to Indian news agency ANI, voiced the frustration shared by many in attendance, saying: “Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi… Why did they call us then… We have got a ticket for 12,000 rupees, but we were not even able to see his face.”

Another supporter told the Press Trust of India that the cost of attending had been enormous for ordinary fans. “I paid Rs 5,000 for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi, not politicians. The police and military personnel were taking selfies, and the management is to blame,” the fan said.

Lionel Messi was accompanied during his short visit by Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez and fellow Argentina international Rodrigo de Paul. Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan also met the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner earlier in the day.

Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, is known for its deep football culture despite India being largely dominated by cricket. Huge crowds regularly attend local derbies, and anticipation around Messi’s visit had reached fever pitch. Fans travelled from across the country, chanting his name, wearing Argentina jerseys and donning “I love Messi” headbands.

In the early hours before the event, thousands lined the streets and gathered outside Messi’s hotel in the hope of catching a glimpse of him.

Messi’s India tour had begun in Kolkata with the unveiling of a 70-foot statue of the player, built over 27 days by a 45-member crew. Due to security concerns, Lionel Messi appeared virtually at the unveiling.

Following Saturday’s unrest, Banerjee announced an official enquiry and apologised to Lionel Messi and sports fans. “The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” she said on 𝕏.

A police official confirmed that the event’s “chief organiser” had been arrested, AFP reported, adding that authorities would also examine how ticket refunds could be arranged. The All India Football Federation said it had no involvement in the privately organised event.

Watch the video of the riot at Lionel Messi’s event below:

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Galatasaray commentator Uğur Karakullukçu has provided the latest update on Galatasaray’s interest in Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman.

According to Karakullukçu, Galatasaray are reportedly shifting their transfer focus towards Salah ahead of Lookman.

Both Salah and Lookman have been linked with a move to the Turkish Super Lig champions.

Lookman failed to leave Atalanta last summer and has just been reintegrated in the squad, while Salah had issues with Liverpool and was left out of the side that defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League.

On his YouTube channel, Karakullukçu indicated that Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek is inclined toward a more ambitious approach to acquire the Egyptian international.

“Dursun Özbek said, ‘Instead of paying Lookman 45 million Euros, and considering his salary will be around 10 million Euros plus taxes, let’s go for Mohamed Salah. If we can afford his transfer fee, let’s get Salah.’

“There is an idea to go for Salah instead of Lookman. The goal is to get him from Liverpool for free,” Karakullukçu said as quoted by Habersarikirmizi.

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By IAN HERBERT, DEPUTY CHIEF SPORTS WRITER and DOMINIC KING and RIATH AL-SAMARRAI, CHIEF SPORTS FEATURE WRITER and KIERAN GILL, MAIL SPORT REPORTER and CIARAN FOREMAN, SPORTS REPORTER

Updated: 08:57 EST, 13 December 2025

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Liverpool vs Brighton – Premier League LIVE: Latest score, team news and updates as Mo Salah leaves Anfield exile ahead of final clash before AFCON – plus updates from Chelsea vs Everton

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No fewer than 25 players plying their trade in the English Premier League are set to leave their clubs for international duty at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

The biennial African football showpiece will be held between December 21, 2025, and January 18, 2026, a period that traditionally clashes with the busy festive schedule of the English top-flight.

Nigeria, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the most represented nations from the Premier League, with four players each expected to feature for their countries at the tournament.

Several EPL clubs will be significantly affected, with some losing multiple first-team players during a crucial stage of the season.

According to FIFA regulations, clubs are expected to release eligible players ahead of the competition. FIFA has directed that all invited players must be released from Monday, December 15, clearing the way for national teams to begin preparations.

Newly promoted Sunderland are the most affected club, with five players named for different African nations.

Sunderland (5): Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo (Mozambique), Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo)

Manchester United, Fulham and Burnley will each lose three players to the continental tournament.

Manchester United (3): Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco).

Fulham (3): Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria).

Burnley (3): Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia).

A number of clubs will also be without two players during the AFCON window.

Nottingham Forest (2): Ibrahim Sangaré (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast).

Brentford (2): Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria).

Crystal Palace (2): Ismaïla Sarr (Sénégal), Cheick Doucouré (Mali).

Wolves (2): Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast).

Some of the league’s top sides will lose key individuals to the tournament.

Manchester City (1): Omar Marmoush (Egypt).

Liverpool (1): Mohamed Salah (Egypt).

West Ham United (1): Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo).

Brighton & Hove Albion (1): Carlos Baleba (Cameroon).

Festive Fixture Headache For Premier League Clubs

Naija News reports that with AFCON scheduled to run through the Christmas and New Year period, Premier League clubs will be forced to cope without key players during one of the most demanding phases of the season, while African nations will hope their stars can shine on the continental stage in Morocco.

© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]

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Bayer Leverkusen, head coach Kasper Hjulmand says the club will benefit from Nathan Tella’s omission from Nigeria’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Hjulmand, however, said the winger is disappointed to be left out of the squad.

Tella was one of the notable omissions from the Super Eagles’ 28-man squad released by head coach, Eric Chelle this week.

The former Burnley star was hopeful of making the list after recovering from the injury that sidelined for several weeks.

The 26-year-old will, however, have to wait before adding to his two caps for the Super Eagles.

“This is beneficial for Leverkusen, of course. But Nathan had hopes, real hopes,” Hjulmand said ahead of Leverkusen’s Bundesliga clash with Cologne.

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President of the Nigeria Football Federation , NFF, Ibrahim Gusau has shared his thoughts on the bonus saga that trailed the Super Eagles’ opening fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoffs.

Players and technical staff of the team boycotted training two days before their crucial semi-final clash with the Panthers of Gabon.

The protest reportedly relates to unpaid allowances and match bonuses.

There were also reports that the squad requested for a special bonus to be paid for the African play-offs.

Bonus Row During Playoffs

“The Super Eagles is a major brand that project the image of the country therefore, the government has interest in the team. It is not only in Nigeria,it is a global thing,” Gusau said in an exclusive interview with Super Eagles legend, Segun Odegbami on Eagle7 103.7FM’s Saturday morning show “90 minutes with Mathematical7”.

“I’m happy to say that since we came on board this has never happened with the Super Eagles. We went to the last AFCON, we played the World Cup qualifiers for over two years, we didn’t have any issue over bonus.

Super Eagles

“The issue that happened before the playoffs, the money we are talking about is not even significant. Unfortunately some people went on national television station to say the NFF are owing the Super Eagles since 2019. Some said 30 match bonuses, which was not true.

“We are not owing that kind of money. The money we are owing at the time were appearance fees and bonuses for the games against Lesotho and Benin Republic.

“The money was provided to the NFF by the government, and as at that time, we have not received it. When the money was released, it was promptly paid.”

Gusau On Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup Failure

The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup, losing 4-3 on penalities to Democratic Republic of Congo in the final of the playoffs.

Read Also:‘We Will Not Panic’ — Fulham Boss Speaks On Super Eagles’ Trio Departure For AFCON

Gusau expressed regrets over the team’s failure to make it to the mundial.

“As leaders it is our own wish to achieve our plans, especially qualification for the World Cup, and we are not happy with the outcome, added Gusau.

“It’s a big disappointment because we know what we put into it, what we did to prepare the team to face the task of qualifying for the World Cup, we did our best in that direction.

“At the end of the day, it didn’t happen. I can’t tell you how disappointed we are. We are still sad, and the mood is still bad. I know how Nigerians are feeling, but we must try to do well at the AFCON to revive the hope and confidence of Nigerians in the team.”

On NFF Apologising To Nigerians

Gusau also explained the reason behind NFF’s decision to apologise to Nigerians after the loss to the Leopards.

Well, as leaders it is important to take responsibilities in whatever situation. In some cases you can do your best, and things won’t still work. The ultimate decision is always from God,” Gusau stated.

“Whatever comes as a leader you have to accept it. It is important to accept the responsibility for the failure.

“I know the Super Eagles is public entity that everybody have interest in. So, when the team failed to qualify for the World Cup, it is important for us to apologise.”

NFF Owing National Team Coaches

The NFF has been constantly criticised for failing to fulfill their obligations to coaches.

Read Also:‘Bring It Home, Lads’ –Mikel Charges Eagles To Win AFCON 2025 Title

Gusau however defended his administration on the issue.

“Talking about past coaches that were owed salaries, Christian Chukwu for example, i asked to provide evidence. There is no way I can touch public money without evidence. I asked him can you give me a copy of your contract, can you give me the evidence of how much the NFF is owing you. I can’t find it in the NFF. He couldn’t provide any evidence,” Gusau asserted.

“We have quite a lot of them, not only Chukwu. They will go out and accused the NFF of owing them, but when you call them to provide the contract papers, or details of outstanding salaries, you can’t get it from them, and there is no way I can authourise payment without evidence.

“Sometimes it is always complicated , people will just say different things , without telling the public the truth or provide tangible evidence.

“You can’t rule out shortcomings like the payment of salaries and bonuses because there are times you will expect money and it won’t come on time. When you get the money, you can now settle whatever you are owing.

“When people are not patient, then we can have a scenario like the one we had before the playoffs. We can plan, and rely on sponsors or little monies we get from FIFA and CAF.

“All the monies have the time they come to us, and we don’t have control over them except when it is time for to be released. We have done our best under my leadership to reduce bonus issue to the barest minimum.”

On Desparation To Coach National Teams

“There is no need for any coach to be desparate to coach the Super Eagles or any of the national teams. The foreign coaches always ensure they have a valid contract,” Gusau declared.

“Don’t forget in most cases we employed these coaches like two, three months before they commence their job. So, why is the desperation to get a job without having a document that will back it up.

“There is no way we can direct anyone to make payment from public funds without substantial contract to back it up.

“Even at the club level it is happening too. We are having the challenge with the players’ statute committee. No coach should take up a job with the NFF or any club without signing a contract. It is a general problem with our coaches.

“Let’s try to enlighten them to stop this desparation of getting jobs without signing a contract.”

Funding From Government

Gusau also shed light how the NFF source for funds to prosecute its activities.

“NFF usually go to government to seek for intervention fund. This is similar to what they do in other countries because the government have interest in the team’s achievement and performance,” Gusau stated.

“NFF as a body when you talk about independency is more about development, but we are holding the national team on trust on behalf of the government.

“It is a government property, it belongs to the public. Whenever we go to the government for money, we always make it clear what want to use it for.

“Like I said it is not all the time that we go to he government for money. It is when it is highly capital intensive that we seek for support.

On FIFA, what they give is annual grant. Whenever they give NFF money there is always instruction on how the money should be spent.

They have their auditors,who always monitors things for them.”

By Adeboye Amosu

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It was June 22, 2002. A normal episode of SmackDown – so everyone in WWE thought. That night, and for a while after, until it became clear that the show would go down in history.

‘Ruthless aggression’ were the two words that a 25-year-old John Cena would mutter in the direction of Kurt Angle, stomping out to the ring to challenge the biggest name in the company on the spot.

Of course, it was planned. But the fact that a novice from Massachusetts was trusted on that stage showed the faith WWE had in the up-and-coming star. And boy, did it pay off. 

Saturday night will see Cena bow out of WWE for good. A 23-year career that has featured just about everything it could have featured – from countless titles, a failed relationship with a current wrestler and a final year of mixed reviews – will come to an end.

‘It is surreal to see John bowing out,’ Finn Balor, a former world champion in WWE and opponent of Cena, tells Daily Mail Sport. ‘A little known fact… the last piece of WWE merch I bought as a fan was a John Cena shirt.

‘John speaks to everybody. A lot of people think his character is targeted towards kids – I was a grown adult when I bought that shirt, in the business and performing in Japan. He connects with everybody: kids, adults, boys, girls, young and old. His career will go down as one of the greatest.’

John Cena’s WWE career will come to an end on Saturday after his final ever match

He has had an up and down time with the company, including a controversial run as a heel in his final year

That’s the thing about John Cena. From the word go, he has won the hearts of all different types of fans.

It’s partly why his farewell year was so interesting. In March he turned heel – bad – for the first time ever, aligning with The Rock to win a record-breaking 17th world title in WWE against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania.

To many, the whole process felt off. Slightly rushed, maybe. The Rock wasn’t seen again and the story fell somewhat flat – particularly after rapper Travis Scott, who had bizarrely made the alliance a trio, disappeared from TV.

‘I enjoyed it because I like when people try something new,’ Balor says, giving a view from inside the locker room. ‘It was designed for that moment when screens went from black to colourful. Perhaps some people didn’t enjoy it during the squeeze of the juice, but, when it changed back, we got the John Cena back we all wanted. I think it was very brave and really well executed and id like to see more of that in pro wrestling.’

And so superman, as Cena has sometimes been known, turned good again. On August 1, he admitted his time acting different ‘sucked’, and he would once again be the star that everyone had grown to love.

Some more than others, it seemed. In 2012, Cena entered a relationship with fellow wrestler Nikki Bella. One half of the Bella Twins with sister Brie, Nikki is already a WWE Hall of Famer, and ended up forming a power couple with Cena.

They dated for years, getting engaged at WrestleMania in 2017. Less than a year on from that, though, just before they were due to get married, they went their separate ways. 

‘Overall, we did have such an incredible relationship, it was just two people that wanted two different lives,’ Bella said on Maria Menounos’ ‘Better Together’ podcast in 2020. ‘We were trying so hard to make it one.

Cena was previously engaged to fellow wrestler Nikki Bella (left), but is now married to Shay Shariatzadeh (right)

Bella revealed that her and Cena broke off their relationship due to a difference in if they wanted to have children

Finn Balor (right) has given Daily Mail Sport an insight into what Cena is like away from cameras

‘Even in the end when he was willing to give me kids, I could just tell, it’s not what he wanted. And that’s really what pushed me in the end.

‘If I’m going to force someone to be a father, what if he looks at you down the road and just regrets everything, and then you have this child and you’ve built this life? Is that what you want? And I remember thinking, “It’s not what I want”.’

And so it was back to wrestling – and acting – for Cena. Having been a bodybuilder in the late 1990s, he realised wrestling was actually where he wanted to be.

That’s right. After Cena graduated college, he became a bodybuilder and competed in local competitions while also working in gyms. Until his wrestling career took off.

He received plaudits for his in-ring skills. Not always – fans were at times critical in a period where he was regularly booed and ‘John Cena sucks’ became the background to his iconic walk-on song of ‘My Time is Now’.

But he worked his way up the ranks, winning titles and enjoying iconic rivalries with the likes of Edge, CM Punk and Randy Orton, and soon became a household name.

And it was his attitude, and character, that helped that happen too. Always willing to help and always there for the fans – he holds the Guinness World Record for granting the most wishes – 650 – through the Make A Wish Foundation.

‘When I came to WWE, John was at his peak,’ Balor says. ‘The top guy, the locker room leader. Me coming in as a new fresh talent from Japan with expectation, he could have seen me as a threat who he wanted to keep down, but, quite the contrary, he saw me as an ally. Someone who could help him grow the business.

A former bodybuilder, Cena has went part-time in wrestling to take up roles in Hollywood

Gunther, a former world champion in his own right, will be Cena’s final opponent on Saturday

Cena will bow out on his own terms after 23 years in the game at Saturday Night’s Main Event

‘He was always forthcoming with advice in or out the ring and I had got the impression that all top WWE superstars are like this. Fast forward 11 years, I realise not everyone is like that, that was just John being John. I was naive to think everyone would be like John Cena when there is only one John Cena.

‘He has the respect and accolades he has because of the way he has acted throughout his career and his life and that is something I will not only be very grateful for, but try my best to learn from and use as guidance for how I should act.’

In 2006, he was in Marine, but shook things up when, in the mid 2010s, he went part-time in wrestling to embark on his acting career. Since, he has starred in films such as Daddy’s Home, F9, The Suicide Squad and Barbie. More are to come.

His wrestling and acting has helped him to a reported net worth of a staggering £60million, which will surely only increase as he seemingly takes to Hollywood full-time when he’s done with wrestling.

Away from the ring and acting, he is now married to Shay Shariatzadeh – his second wife – having wed in 2020. He seems settled, happy – and ready for the next chapter. 

And so this Saturday, following a tournament to decide who it would be, Gunther has the honour of being Cena’s last-ever opponent. A former world champion himself – recently, too – he is rated incredibly highly in WWE.

‘I won’t be at the show,’ Balor adds. ‘We were supposed to be involved, but, because JD [McDonagh, Balor’s tag team partner] is hurt, I will be at home on the couch with a cup of tea watching it just like I would have been 30 years ago as a Cena fan, cheering John.

‘I look forward to seeing John versus Gunther. It is going to be an incredible match – I can’t wait to see it. A clash of styles, a clash of chapters of my life.’

And, at the end of the match, when all is finally, after 23 years, said and done, the wrestling world will wave goodbye to John Cena for good.

John Cena’s final match takes place on Saturday, 13 December at Saturday Night’s Main Event, available to watch for free on WWE’s YouTube channel. Finn Balor returns to Europe this January during the ‘Road to Royal Rumble’ tour, tickets available now from Ticketmaster. 

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More than five million ticket requests have been submitted for the 2026 World Cup since FIFA opened its latest sales phase on Thursday, despite mounting criticism over what supporters describe as eye-watering prices.

Fifa says fans from over 200 countries have applied, with the group-stage clash between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on 27 June the most sought-after fixture so far. The tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July and will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams.

While demand remains strong, the pricing structure has sparked a fierce backlash. The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) has branded the costs “scandalous”, warning that loyal fans are being priced out of a competition that claims to belong to the world.

Group-stage tickets are now up to three times more expensive than those sold for Qatar 2022, while the cheapest seat for the final has been set at £3,119.

The Football Association is expected to take supporters’ concerns directly to FIFA after being urged to challenge the pricing policy.

The FSA has joined Football Supporters Europe (FSE) in calling for a pause in ticket sales so talks can be held with FIFA.

“We back Football Supporters Europe in calling for a halt in ticket sales and we are calling on the Football Association to work with fellow FAs to directly challenge these disgraceful prices,” the FSA said in a statement.

“We call on all national associations to stand up for your supporters, without whom there would be no professional game.”

FIFA has yet to respond publicly to the criticism. The issue is likely to be raised at a FIFA Council meeting in Doha next week.

There is also sensitivity around future relations with FIFA, with the Home Nations hoping to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup and the UK government involved in those ambitions.

According to the BBC, Fifa insiders argue that while prices may appear high, the organisation must take the US market into account, grow the game globally and reinvest revenues into men’s, women’s and youth football.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has also promised record revenues, with the expanded tournament expected to become the most lucrative sporting event in history ahead of his re-election bid in 2027.

Details of the price rises emerged on Thursday when FIFA released ticket allocations for official supporters’ groups.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, group-stage tickets were priced at £68.50, £164.50 or £219. For next year’s tournament, fixtures such as England v Croatia and Scotland v Brazil will cost around £198, £373 or £523.

Prices climb sharply as the competition progresses. Quarter-final tickets range from £507 to £1,073, semi-finals from £686 to £2,363, while the cheapest final ticket is seven times more expensive than in Qatar. There are no concessions for children or other groups.

FIFA says the highest number of ticket requests has come from the three host nations, followed by Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France and Panama. After Colombia v Portugal, the most requested matches include Brazil v Morocco in New Jersey, Mexico v South Korea in Guadalajara, Ecuador v Germany in New Jersey and Scotland v Brazil in Miami.

Naija News gathered that following a team through all eight matches to the final would cost around £5,225 at the cheapest level, rising to £8,850 for mid-range tickets and £12,357 for the top tier. In 2022, the equivalent costs were £1,466, £2,645 and £3,914, though that covered seven matches rather than eight.

© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]

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The Nigeria National League, NNL, has announced that matchday six fixture between Ranchers Bees and Adamawa United will be played behind closed doors.

The announcement was made in a statement by the league body.

Only the State Football Association representatives, staff of both teams, kit managers and medical personnel will be allowed into the stadium.

Others are the match officials, security personnel and camera men.

The reason for the decision to play the game without club supporters wasn’t stated by the league body.

The encounter will take place at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna on Saturday (today).

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Chelsea fullback Marc Cucurella has disclosed that the Blues must do everything to overcome Everton in today’s Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.

In a chat with the club’s website, the Spanish international stated that Chelsea need the three points to remain within the top four spots.

“For me, this is one of the most important games of the season because we played really well before the last two weeks and then we have struggled to win these last two weeks.

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“We will be playing at home, we need these three points and we want to stay up there again so I think it is a very important game.

“They are playing really well, they have won a lot of games and they are only having one game a week so they are arriving very fresh.

“Hopefully we can play a good game, we can arrive focused, we can control the game.

“We expect them to be very good in transition and they have really good players so hopefully we can control them and win the game.”

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