Inside Messi’s Indian catastrophe | The funniest stories in sport this week

Plus: Samuel Eto’o’s AFCON meltdown and a knife-wielding Sunderland striker. Get tickets to to the Upshot’s Live shows in April: https://www.livenation.co.uk/the-upshot-live-tickets-adp1637635 We’re hiring! Apply for the role as The Upshot’s new video producer: https://www.upshot.email/p/we-re-hiring-a-video-producer-36e9  Download SAILY in your app store and use our code UPSHOT at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/upshot  Join The Upshot’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/upshottowers   (Sign up in your browser, not the patreon app - it’s cheaper). Links from the pod: Kolkata riot: https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1plfmgo/ani_fans_at_salt_lake_stadium_got_angry_with_the Statue unveiling: https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/12/12/12/104672397-15377981-image-a-45_1765543002051.jpg Hola Messi fanzone: https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2025/Dec/1765375010_hola-messi-1.gif Suarez nutmeg: https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1pmfjzm/suarez_got_nutmegged_by_a_teen_indian_girl/?utm_source=www.upshot.email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=i-see-a-snake&_bhlid=16c820a8f979cb6080947e9b36af165b189dceb7 Nitin Kumar walking out: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedarter88/video/7583727677526396193  Killing the Ally Pally wasp: https://x.com/MarkWilsonRadio/status/2000235018254459016 Cameron Menzies meltdown: https://x.com/_shaunmiller_/status/2000578781082251448 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices